


The Fake Reality

by SwordOfQueen



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Betrayal, Catfish - Freeform, Chef Do Kyungsoo | D.O, Cussing, Drama, Honest Kyungsoo, Kinda, Lies, Light Angst, M/M, Mentioned Huang Zi Tao | Z.Tao, Mentioned Kim Minseok | Xiumin, Mentioned Lu Han, Mentioned Oh Sehun, Mentioned Wu Yi Fan | Kris, Mentioned Zhang Yi Xing | Lay, Minor Byun Baekhyun/Park Chanyeol, Misunderstandings, POV Do Kyungsoo | D.O, Producer Byun Baekhyun, Reality TV, Romance, Slow Burn, Social Media, The Circle (Netflix Series), english is not my first language, locked in an apartment, ranking people based on social media
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:53:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 72,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24305446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SwordOfQueen/pseuds/SwordOfQueen
Summary: Kyungsoo knew what kind of reality show he signed up for, but it doesn't prepare him for the emotional roller coaster that even Baekhyun's comments on the background don't help.Never was an online romance an option for Kyungsoo among the chaotic contestants of The Circle —whom may or may not be the people they say they're in their profiles— he just wanted more content to the grannies who watch his cooking show, sheesh.
Relationships: Do Kyungsoo | D.O/Kim Jongin | Kai
Comments: 59
Kudos: 33





	1. WELCOME TO THE CIRCLE

**Author's Note:**

> Cross-posted on AFF under the same title and author
> 
> Story Cover if someone wants to see it: [Here](https://i.imgur.com/eyA6ASt.jpg%E2%80%9C%20rel=)
> 
> THIS IS BASED ON THE TV SHOW THE CIRCLE'S CONCEPT WHICH I DO NOT OWN
> 
> For those who don't know what it is: 
> 
> The contestants move into the same apartment building. However, the contestants do not meet face-to-face during the course of the competition, as they each live in their own individual apartment. They communicate solely using their profiles on a specially-designed social media app that gives them the ability to portray themselves in any way they choose. Players can thus opt to present themselves as a completely different personality to the other players, a tactic otherwise known as catfishing. © 21.05.2020 [WIKIPEDIA](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Circle_\(American_TV_series\))

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had this crazy idea, and writing this will be A CHALLENGE, but, it was a great idea —at least at the time— so let's do this. 
> 
> Happy reading! If you have any questions or something, just comment and I'll do my best to help<3

The stagnant noise of Kyungsoo’s suitcase rolling forward next to him is the only sound that accompanies his long strides in the corridor. His face has the same expression as he always has when he first appears on television: polite smile with his eyes shining in excitement. 

The façade is simply for the cameras capturing his arrival to the Circle —his anticipation threatening to bubble over as he meets the end of the corridor and turns the handle leading into his new apartment. 

“Hello Circle!” He sing songs to the apartment a beat after the door shuts behind him. There’s no turning back anymore. The only way out now is to lose the game.

His steps get shorter and quicker as he walks through the entrance, still dragging the massive suitcase alongside him. It’s not a though decision for Kyungsoo to leave it behind as he checks the apartment out. 

He peaks into the room on the right which seems to be the living room and kitchen, leaving the rooms on the left to be the bathroom and his bedroom. He takes a quick look at the place he’ll be sleeping in for who knows how long. Brightness surrounds the apartment even when the interior is mostly black and wood —thanks to the studio lights lining the ceiling. 

“This is actually happening”, his eyes widen in astonishment as a realization hits after he spots couple more cameras at the bathroom, following his movements and filming him.

He’s like a rat in a science experiment. Filmed, fed and locked up. But that’s what the Circle truly is —he knew it even before he signed up: a human experiment. The game will be though itself, but being isolated and under constant mindset of suspicion will be the worst kind of mind fuckery. He’s not scared of it though; it’s cool as heck to him.

“I have to check out the kitchen!” He yelps one shoe in hand as he’s changing into slippers now that he’s taken the first looks in his apartment.

He can’t believe he almost forgot the most important part. His reputation as a chef will take critical hits during the filming but at least the grannies watching his cooking show will get some new content out of this.

The shoes are left next to the suitcase to the hallway as he inspects the equipment he’s going to have to survive with. It’s better than he expected, most of the things new and almost of professional quality, just a little lacking with work surfaces —making it not quite parallel to his own kitchen at home but something he can work with.

“AHH FU… jitsu!” He let’s out a _manly_ scream as he hits quite hard the dining table behind him _with his ass._ He’s been practicing on censoring his language just for this show and it more or less works. 

Although he wears glasses, he isn’t blind enough to _not_ see the table —he just forgot it was there for a moment. He’ll happily drink his morning coffee looking out to the peaceful English scenery, but before that he’ll have to move the big-ass plant out of the way that’s in front of the window. 

“Hi Kyungsoo”, a loud voice resonates around him, “Your first reactions have been filmed now. Feel free to spread out and stuff.”

“I- Are you the producer I was told about?” 

“Yes! I’m Baekhyun, your day-time producer. I’ll be here monitoring and helping you around during your time here”, his voice keeps its extremely loud level.

“Thanks. Can your voice be turned a little lower? You’re quite loud.”

“Oh, sorry. I was leaning too much into the mic”, his voice gets smaller, “Is this better?”

Kyungsoo shows the okay- sign with his fingers as he checks out the fridge, “You really brought everything I wrote down. I’m impressed.”

“What do you expect us to be? Half-assed?” Baekhyun’s chuckle fills the room. “But I gotta admit— all that chef stuff was not the easiest to find out of all the orders.”

Kyungsoo smiles knowingly. He may have written some special ingredients that aren’t absolutely necessary for him, wanting to test the limits. The Circle is a little like staying in a hotel as he can ask basically anything and have it delivered to him. He even has this Baekhyun guy so he won’t be getting too lonely. He feels pretty good for now.

The cameras follow him as he walks back to his luggage and begins to work his way to the bedroom. The real work though comes up as he tries to lift the suitcase to the bed. It’s not working —not because of him, but because of the bed that is too high and the suitcase that has clothes for thirty days in it.

“Wouldn’t you try to pull it up from the bed?” Baekhyun suggests and if Kyungsoo’s not wrong he’s laughing at him. 

Does Kyungsoo listen? No.

He tries to lift it up sideways with the producer snickering on the background. As it doesn’t produce wanted results Baekhyun speaks up again:  
“I really hope you’re never the sober one in your friend group —with what I just witnessed even _I_ can guarantee they’re spending the night passed out on the floors, no hope of getting moved to bed.”

Kyungsoo casts his THE look to the nearest camera, although it’s not to it’s highest performance with his glasses halfway down his nose and sweat breaking out on his forehead.

“Kyungsoo, you’re not in ‘the office’ so please don’t look straight at the cameras”, Baekhyun sighs.

“Oh really now? And don’t worry, a few selected words to my friends from me and they’re all queuing to bed.”

He pushes his hands under the suitcase and squats, getting ready to push it up enough for it to fall onto the bed. Swiping the sweat off of his forehead and leaving another fingerprint onto his eyeglasses he dusts his clothes and starts to unpack the mass of clothes and other necessities. He doesn’t get far as the big screen facing the bed lights up to purplish blue with the circle’s logo.

“Hello? What’s happening?” The words don’t seem to do a thing. He’s about to ask Baekhyun as the screen changes.

Leaving the clothes, he sits on the bed right in front of it.

“ _Welcome to The Circle_ ”, he reads, “ _This is a voice activated system. You now must set up your profile._ It really starts now, doesn’t it?”

He straightens his back and furrows his brows. First impressions are one of the most important parts of the game if not _the_ most. He has to stay true to his strategy of being honest, or he’ll fail from the start. The profile picture will be one of the pictures he has pre-selected into his private albums so he has at least a grasp what it’ll be.

“Okay. I want to do that.” 

“Kyungsoo, you have to articulate your words and thoughts. Be clear with the things you say and start with ‘Circle, take me to…’ so I don’t have to do everything manually”, Baekhyun says as the screen changes. Kyungsoo’s name is bright against the blue background on the right top corner of the screen. Right under it are places for his age, relationship status and bio. He dreads the moment he has to write it.

“Circle, take me to my private albums”, he tries and seven albums pop up. There’s one of him while cooking and another of him and his puppies, a few of him with his friends and family and few of him in a different settings. Thanks to the long time he has had to consider he confidently chooses the album Casual Kyungsoo.

The circle shows him five pictures of him and he carefully looks at each of them. In two pictures he’s in sweatpants and although he looks like that very often, that’s not what he wants to show first. There’s one of him in a crewneck sweater and he looks in it straight into the camera, caught off-guard. People say he looks cute in it —that’s a very big no. He’s debating over two pictures but one caught his eye more.

“Show me the picture at the left lower corner. The one where I’m standing against a brick wall”, Kyungsoo stands up to take a closer look. It’s a good picture as it’s casual but still kind of serious which showcases his personality well, “The shadow that the tree casts is pretty and it almost looks like a professional photo from a photo shoot, but not quite. The warm lighting gives summer vibes and my face is seen well enough to not be suspicious. Circle, set this as my profile picture.”

“I’m going to play honestly so I’m setting my age to 27 and my relationship status as single”, he heaves a big sigh, “It’s time for my introduction.”

He doesn’t want to play the Circle any other way than the honest way, but the game’s idea is to be likable, what he always isn’t, “I want to make my opinion clear from the first words so I’m going to start with: Trying to make everyone satisfied is a waste of time. It’s my motto, but because it can be a little too straightforward if you don’t know me, I’m going hold back on more opinions and continue with: I’m a hashtag ballad singer at heart. That should be okay because now they know something about me.”

He takes a step back and watches as the words come up. He looks at what he wrote and spaces around the room.

“Is the hashtag too much? Without it though it’s just too, I don’t know, bland”, he stops again in front of the screen, “Hopefully someone else has a hashtag too because it’s staying.”

He sits back to the bed and reads his bio again a couple of times. It still needs something but otherwise it’s good. That something has to be something about himself that will help him in the game. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have many things he seriously likes that aren’t in the same category as singing. He could tell some trivial facts, but he wants something more meaningful, something that’ll affect the way people interact with him. 

“Now I got it! Circle, continue my introduction with: and view loyalty as my best asset”, he reads the whole thing again, to make sure he doesn’t want to change anything, “ _Trying to make everyone satisfied is a waste of time. I am a #BalladSingerAtHeart and view loyalty as my best asset_.” 

He nods as he looks at his profile. The picture of him with casual clothes and warm feeling balances well his serious bio without feeling like two different people. There’s not much he can do anymore to make it better so he nods for a final time and goes back to his suitcase.

“What do I do now? How do I save it?” He asks and it seems like Baekhyun doesn’t understand the question was for him, “Baekhyun?”

“Yeah? I was just gaping because I think I get to have the most well-rounded player of this game with me, not to mention a savage,” Kyungsoo rolls his eyes. Baekhyun sure is dramatic, “Sorry, just say ‘Circle, save my profile’ and that’s it.”

Kyungsoo follows his lead and sure enough, the screen returns to the Circle logo.

O

“Are you or are you not saying that you prefer Burger King over McDonald’s?”

“What I’m trying to say is that _both_ are trash, Baekhyun”, Kyungsoo huffs, “BUT, if I had to choose, it would be Burger King.”

“So you’re dissing me because I had my first date with Chanyeol at McDonald’s?”

Kyungsoo stops washing the dishes for a moment and looks up as if he’s thinking, “Yeah, that’s pretty much it.”

He shakes his head and starts to dry the dishes. It’s been about couple of hours since he arrived, but he can’t know for sure as he’s not allowed to know the time and date. With Baekhyun, they’ve tried to get to know each other more as they are each other’s sole source of entertainment during the day.

“It’s not like I couldn’t go to a fast food-date, like they have their own charm in the middle of the night or during a road trip —not everything needs to be fancy Michelin restaurant quality,” he explains, “but there’s just so many restaurants that have higher quality with the same price that need support too. Not to mention that was your _first_ date.”

  
  
“I get where you’re coming from but I can’t believe you didn’t choose McDonald’s fries.”

“I- How could I?”

He finishes with the dishes and dries his hands, moving to the couch. He’s going to start one of the puzzles the Circle provided for him as he has nothing better to do.

“Are you just gonna _not_ continue?”

“My professional opinion and your… your opinion won’t match,” Kyungsoo pauses as he measures if the coffee table is big enough for the puzzle, ”and I have a feeling this isn’t the first conversion therapy talk you’ve had about the issue. Why would I continue?”

“For the sake of continuing the conversation?” Baekhyun questions, “Do the bunny one.”

Kyungsoo was leaning towards the puzzle with baby bunnies in a basket anyway as the other is of New York’s skyline and it has a shit ton of almost identical windows. He puts the latter box away and opens the one he chose. The silence is welcomed as he sits there sorting the 500 pieces into whites, greens, browns and edges.

It doesn’t last long because soon enough he’s startled by an alert sound. He looks up, holding on his cups of sorted pieces for dear life.

“ _Alert_ ”, he reads of the screen before him, “What’s this? I’m so excited!”

The text changes and his jaw drops, “You got to be kidding! Already?”

He sets his puzzle pieces down and runs to get his notebook. It’s time for the first ratings.

“I have to do this now, straight away?” It’s actual madness Kyungsoo is going through, “I have to rate them from my favorite to my least favorite with the 1st being the favorite?”

He returns to the couch and scribbles down the info. He has seen the previous seasons so he knows how this works, but it surely is different when you aren’t shown other players before.

“ _Once everyone has rated, the top two players will become The Circle Influencers and will hold great power_ ”, Kyungsoo sighs and rubs his eyes under his glasses —he doesn’t want to be an influencer from the beginning as he can be too threatening to others that way.

Without any warning eight pictures with names pop up, himself included.

He rounds the coffee table to get to stand closer to the screen, feeling amazed. These seven people can be as real as he is or they can be something completely opposite.

“Circle, show me Chungha’s profile”, she’s the second person from the left after him as he’s the first, “Okay, she’s 24 and single.”

The woman in the picture could be 24, but she’s almost too pretty to be real.

“ _“A beautiful face can be found everywhere, but a charismatic personality is rare.”_ She started with a quote as well, but I don’t know how I feel about it as it’s a little catfish-y. Like, I know I’m pretty but keep me in the game because I’m sweet”, Kyungsoo writes his points down so he’ll remember them, “But moving on: _I’m a model located in both Seoul and LA_ 🛫 _My love doesn’t discriminate so come to talk to me_ 💕”

Kyungsoo stares at the photo, conflicted. It’s of her smiling while holding her cheeks with her hands. She has some makeup on but not a lot —it’s clear she’s very beautiful naturally. She’s driving this sweet image of herself with the emojis and the pink tone of the picture that could be called cute without actually being purposefully cute. The photo itself is very good quality and taken by someone else, which isn’t surprising if she really is a model.

“Honestly, she’s too perfect. Young, single, model with a kind heart. She could be a catfish”, Kyungsoo underlines the catfish in his notes, “I’m going to be careful of her.”

Baekhyun kindly returns him back to all the profiles and he chooses the next one, “Circle, take me to Miyeon’s profile,” As the picture of a woman showing her tongue gets bigger, he smiles, “She’s cute. I think I’ll like her a lot.”

The picture has been taken somewhere crowded and although the quality is good, it’s very spontaneous and fun, like her expression.

“She’s 25? I could swear she is younger based on the picture”, he still puts it into his notebook, even if he doubts it has any meaning, ”She’s single, like all of us. Let’s see her bio: _My mom told me to smile and everything would be alright. Even if you can’t see me, I’m smiling. Otherwise, I like playing video games and jamming to Single Ladies_ 🎶”

He processes the words for a second before his smile widens, “She’s my favorite. The way she talks about her mom —I’m sold— and the last part? I feel like I know something about her which is something Chungha lacked”, he writes this down, “I hope you really are smiling Miyeon.”

As he’s moved back to the profiles he groans out loud. God please let him be nice, “Circle, take me to Woojin’s profile”, and the view that comes is a sight to see, “Woojin please put the shirt on. I know you’re ripped but-“ he purposefully leaves the sentence there.

“Are you feeling some type of way Kyungsoo? I sure am”, Baekhyun speaks up with exaggerated breathing.

“I can recognize a nice body if I see one but my type is more… less big? What would Chanyeol say of you thirsting over other men?”

“Oh, we thirst together for muscular dudes, he’ll understand. But didn’t you say earlier that _you_ like them big?” Baekhyun pauses for a second and continues, “Oops, I meant tall, don’t get any ideas.”

“I won’t, trust me. Please let me continue with this now”, Kyungsoo turns back to the screen, “So 28 and single. Why am I not surprised?”

He doesn’t have much to write about the picture as it’s basically just a black and white picture of Woojin’s naked and muscular upper body and his around or above average face. The picture is most likely chosen to show some personality —going to the gym— or/and to get people flirt with him.

“ _A-yo! Busan raised personal trainer_ 🏋🏽 _Age doesn’t matter because I am never old to party_ 😉😳 Okay, he wants to flirt. The whole part after the personal trainer screams ‘come flirt!’. Also, I’m not sure did he mean to write _never old to party_ or did he mean never _too_ old to party.”

He has the assets of being a catfish with the picture and excess flirting, but that grammar threw him off. One would think that a catfish would be pretty serious with his bio’s grammar.

“Alright, who’s next?” Kyungsoo has now passed the halfway point, “The Circle, show me Hye-Jin’s profile.”

  
This time he checks out the information before the picture, “Our Hye-Jin is 24, like Chungha, and _taken_. I’m impressed. I don’t think she’s a catfish just based on that. Who catfish would put taken? Don’t disappoint me Hye-Jin with your bio; _If I don’t fit others’ standards, then I’ll set my own standards. Also, I like to cook_.”

The picture is a selca of a woman who the word bold would describe the best. Her confidence almost oozes out of the screen, it’s just something in the way she’s looking over her sunglasses and in the way she carries the off-shoulder she’s wearing —she’s unapologetic. The picture paired with the bio is a perfect match. She can’t be catfishing as her personality would be too risky to catfish. Also, she likes to cook. That’s just another good point into his notebook. She’s nice and real.

“Next!”

He returns to sit on the couch as he’s getting tired of standing. This has felt like an eternity although probably not even a half an hour has passed. There’s three more to go and the actual ratings, this is just some warm up.

“Circle, take me to Sehyoon’s profile”, he commands and so the app follows, “Sehyoon, you are 26, single and I love your picture. You seem wonderfully normal among the other players. Like, that’s a selca anyone could take. The lighting is not too fancy, neither is the background nor the expression.”

Kyungsoo feels actually happy because of what he sees. It is unrealistic for everyone to have the best picture of themselves in social media and the fact that this Sehyoon guy came truly just as he is —big respect. He’s by far Kyungsoo’s favorite of anyone he’s seen.

“ _Although black and white are my favorite colors, they remind me of the time I was in jail, so my art is a lot more colorful. It was terrible: I’m never playing Monopoly again._ And his bio? Original, unique and tells about him. There’s a ZERO chance he’s a catfish. Zero.”

“I don’t even want to go to Yuri’s profile after Sehyoon but that’s not an option. Circle, take me to Yuri’s profile”, Kyungsoo can see even from the small profile picture that she won’t be his favorite, “28 years _young_ ”, he makes a gagging noise, “Oh, let me throw up. She’s single? _What a surprise_.”

“You might wanna tame that sarcasm or she’ll tear you apart; look at her bio”, Baekhyun’s voice appears again, “I don’t know anything about the other contestants that you don’t, and I can’t really make decisions for you but just look at it and you’ll know.”

Kyungsoo can feel dread filling him as he reads forward:  
“ _I may bark, but I promise I’ll bite as well_ 😈 _Boys, get ready #GirlPower_ ”

He’s speechless. In the end he just hums, “At least I’m not the only one with a hashtag.”

She’s clearly after the romance and going with the flirting tactic. She’s going to bring so much troubles, but she can’t be catfish for the same reason as Hye-Jin: too loud of a personality. In her picture, she’s in a bikini and shorts, on the beach showing off her chest. Not much more information for him.

“Baekhyun just take me to the last player”, and Baekhyun obeys, “So Jackson, our 26-year-old single man with a summery picture. You’re laughing which is nice but your clothes seem expensive and the way you wear them is just a little douchy —that’s just what comes to me. It’s very good quality and someone else has taken it. It’s almost like a photo shoot, which is little alarming if you aren’t a model like Chungha.”

He really stares this Jackson and his picture. If he tries to forget his first impression, the picture is perfect. Showcases his personality as fun and aloof, the vibe is summery and warm which almost always draws people in. He’ll have to decide his opinion with the bio.

“ _Wassup y’all! Messenger of peace and love_ 🙏🏼 He has the same energy as Chungha in the way that they’re borderline perfect with their appearance and personality. Jackson seems like a friendly guy who’s everyone’s friend“, Kyungsoo is torn with his opinion, “ _I’m wild and sexy RAWR Take risks, work hard and have no regrets!_ 💪🏼 He’s apparently also a flirt, and the funny guy, and motivated as well as spontaneous.”

The perfect human. And the perfect catfish. Kyungsoo has made up his mind.

“Baekhyun take me to the ratings”, Kyungsoo buries his face into his hands, “I thought this would be easier but rating actual people no matter catfish or not —actually not knowing anything about them— is wild.”

The screen has changed and it’s showtime now. He looks through his notes once more and starts to list.

“First place for me is Sehyoon. He’s normal, real if you will. I’m still not sure but I’m putting Miyeon to the second place and Hye-Jin to the third. These two were really hard to place, because I like both of them a lot. Miyeon eventually won because I got very good gut feeling from the moment I saw her. Hye-Jin can also become really troublesome game-wise if her attitude is too defensive.

“The fourth place goes to Woojin as he’s still very believable as the gym rat who doesn’t know how to write. The fifth place was given because this person is with 75% chance real. It’s Yuri. The reason she doesn’t rank higher is her problematic attitude. The last two are Jackson and Chungha, because they’re simply too perfect to be real. They’re the perfect catfishes. Chungha gets the 6th place as I’m absolutely sure of Jackson —so he’ll obviously take the last place in my ratings.”

The rankings seem as right as they can be so he asks the Circle to send them. A huge text of _ratings completed_ fills the screen and Kyungsoo groans. This took several years off of his lifespan.

He usually cooks to de-stress, but he just ate so it’s just him and his puzzle. And Baekhyun.

O

“20, 21, 22 and 23”, Kyungsoo frowns and counts the both sides again, “I’m missing two pieces from the bottom edge, sheesh.”

He turns to the green puzzle pieces to look for the missing ones and finds one of them easily, but the other isn’t showing itself.

“Look under the table”, Baekhyun instructs before Kyungsoo leans down and reaches for the missing piece, “It’s there.”

Kyungsoo puts it to its correct place and admires the square of puzzle pieces. He’s noticed with a low noise that something in The Circle has changed.

“ _The circle chat is now open_ ”, he reads the notice and waits Baekhyun to move him into the chat.

It looks like a pretty normal chat room with all the participants on the right side and the middle being the place for messages.

“I wonder who’s going to start the conversation”, he speaks out loud, “I’m first going to see how the others are and then take more part if I feel like it.”

JACKSON: _HEY_ 👋 _Great to finally be here with y’all !!_

He was pretty sure it would be either Jackson or Chungha to start the conversation and he’s not wrong this time either as Chungha starts to write based on the three dots on her profile.

CHUNGHA: _Hi! Very excited to get to know you all better_

SEHYOON: _Hello everyone, it’s nice to meet you_ 😀

“I wasn’t expecting Sehyoon to be the third to message but I guess I’ll join after Woojin has sent the message he’s writing”, Kyungsoo says pulling his notebook closer if he needs it.

WOOJIN: _Hello to the beautiful ladies and handsome fellas!_ 🤪

KYUNGSOO: _Hi guys!_

MIYEON: _Hello! Let’s get along well!_

“Miyeon is such a sweet girl”, Kyungsoo points out, “I have a very good gut feeling of her.”

YURI: _Hey babes!_

HYE-JIN: _Hi! How has the first day been for you… it’s a lot to take in isn’t it?_

For a moment Kyungsoo was wondering where Hye-Jin was hiding, but it makes a lot of sense that she continues the conversation.

“Circle, write my reply: _For me it’s as exciting as it is new_ ”, Kyungsoo responds.

YURI: _The apartment is really cool, only the big bed will make me feel lonely during the nights_ 😣

CHUNGHA: _My hands were trembling earlier because of the ratings!_

MIYEON: _I was nervous at first and the ratings literally made me sweat 🙈 Happy to know I wasn’t the only one feeling so!_

JACKSON: _This experience has already been crazy! Little scared to know we have a criminal with us @SEHYOON… was it a one time thing or ?_ 😉

WOOJIN: _@YURI was that invitation?_ 😏

“There’s happening so much I can’t keep up”, Kyungsoo mumbles, “Yuri and Woojin are already at it, Miyeon and Chungha are on the same wavelength and Jackson is being the jokester he pretends to be.”

SEHYOON: _@JACKSON once was enough for me… nothing to be afraid of :)_

YURI: _@WOOJIN I just miss my bed at home… maybe you could help me with my homesickness_

HYE-JIN: _It was hard judging people based on so little…_

JACKSON: _Now I can sleep well @SEHYOON_

JACKSON: _@HYE-JIN All of you seem so cool it was an even competition for the 1st place_

Kyungsoo sighs and leaves another finger print onto his glasses as he pushes them up, “There’s no way he didn’t like anyone less or more than others —I call lying.”

WOOJIN: _@YURI I’ll do my best_ 😁

CHUNGHA: _Jackson, you’re such a smooth talker_ 😂

HYE-JIN: _@JACKSON you really didn’t have anyone you liked more than others?_

“THANK YOU! Hye-Jin, I’m glad you called him out when I didn’t”, he cheers, “I’m going to support you, but subtly, so Circle, send my reply to Jackson: _You’re like an angel if you don’t have any preference_ 🧐

JACKSON: _Of course I had some favorites… I was swiped off my feet when I saw all the beauties we have here!_

MIYEON: _That’s very sweetly said Jackson!_

WOOJIN: _@JACKSON my man, I gotta agree with you!_ 🤩

“Miyeon is so innocent”, Kyungsoo groans, “Why are so many buying that?”

SEHYOON: _To me the personalities were the priority_ 😊 _Anyone can be Vincent Van Gogh behind their photo_ 😳

KYUNGSOO: _@SEHYOON same for me… that’s why I looked at the ages and was relieved after no one was from the 17th century_

CHUNGHA: _Boys... that’s a little too wild guess_ 😂 _Don’t you know that ghosts can’t use the voice activated system?_

“Okay, she’s got humor”, Kyungsoo admits, “I really want to get to know Sehyoon better —he seems like a cool guy.”

YURI: _It was fun to talk to you, but I got to go to powder my nose… TTYL 💕_

Kyungsoo sits back and watches the Circle chat close. That was very enlightening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [This](https://pin.it/bUpO0GL) is the picture I used as a reference for Kyungsoo’s profile picture, if you’re interested <3
> 
> I wrote this in a rush so this is un beta read... sorry. This chapter was a lot longer than expected, so I’m just a little crying from the inside —oops. I plan to finish this within the summer, but let’s see for now. Thank you for reading! <3


	2. EP 2: FIRST TO LEAVE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kyungsoo realizes that the Circle is not as easy as he thought it would be. Also, people are dramatic.

KYUNGSOO: _Hi! I just wanted to tell you I liked your profile a lot_

SEHYOON: _Thanks! Did my life experience convince you?_

SEHYOON: _Same to you though —you seem like you’re telling the truth._

“Okay, I think this is going well”, Kyungsoo breathes out, relieved.

“I told you so”, Baekhyun answers through the speakers. “It’s not that weird to start a conversation in a game that is build on communication.”

KYUNGSOO: _Haha, it was your whole profile. It’s like you’re just a normal guy without trying to be something you’re not_

SEHYOON: _Oh you caught my master plan! I’m just trying to be normal_

KYUNGSOO: _I know this might be fast but I feel like you’re fun to hangout with and I can already trust you_

KYUNGSOO: _We both are honest and I think we’d get along outside too_

“Even if I’m saying that, it doesn’t mean that I will completely drop my defenses —I don’t know him well enough.”

SEHYOON: _It is the same for me_

Kyungsoo thoughtfully gazes at the puzzle before him. He wants to ask Sehyoon one thing but he’s at risk of sounding too much of a player if he does. Even before voicing this thought to himself, he knew the answer. He needs to get answers that are concrete.

KYUNGSOO: _Will you tell me if you get a bad feeling with someone?_

“He’s writing”, he pushes his glasses up, “He’s taking his sweet time.”

Finally the answer comes up.

SEHYOON: _Yes. Do you have someone special in mind?_

“ _That_ was it? Anyway, I think he’s curious too.”

KYUNGSOO: _Honestly speaking, Chungha and Jackson seem almost too good to be true. They would be the perfect catfishes_

Apparently he’s risking it all today. Not that his ‘all’ consists of much either way.

“What do I do if he likes them more than me?”, he asks no one in particular, “The positive is that the game has just started so he’s not had much time to talk to others before me.”

“I think that’s the point, to not know”, Baekhyun says, “But what do I know, I’m just the game coordinator for you.”

Kyungsoo doesn’t stop the eye roll his brains want him to do.

SEHYOON: _I never thought it like that. I just ranked the others based on the vibe they gave me. I didn’t want to judge their catfishness yet but now that you said it, everybody loved Jackson in the Circle Chat._

KYUNGSOO: _So I wasn’t the only one who noticed? Who gave you bad vibes?_

“Currently I don’t _need_ Sehyoon to answer me, what am I going to do with the info?” Kyungsoo rises up and moves to the kitchen, “But I want someone _not me_ to tell what they’re thinking as I could be completely over-thinking things.”

“Does that mean I’m not enough _not you?_ ”

“Yeah, I feel like I’m talking to myself”, Kyungsoo measures the coffee, “Not any amount of caffeine is enough to clear this uncertainty of mine...”

“You sound like poet-“, Baekhyun gets interrupted by Sehyoon’s answer.

SEHYOON: _Firstly, Yuri. She made me uncomfortable with everything. Secondly, Jackson. He just was so aggressive with his positivity and it was too much too fast._

“See that? I wasn’t the only one who suspected him!”

“I never suggested anything against that in the first place Kyungsoo.”

“I wasn’t especially talking to you, more like to the universe”, Kyungsoo sips and hisses as the hot liquid hits his tongue.

KYUNGSOO: _Glad to know that!_

“Kyungsoo, you should end this quickly — _not my orders_ ”, Baekhyun masks the order into an offer.

It takes a second before realization hits him, There’s something else they want him to do.

SEHYOON: _It was nice talking to you! Let’s continue this soon :)_

“Well, I guess he got the same instructions.”

He moves to sit at the kitchen table. It won’t probably take long for him to get something else to do.

He quietly waits and follows the steam leaving the cup in front of him. The familiar sound of an alert breaks his reverie —quite harshly to add. 

“So it’s game time now?”, Kyungsoo reads the screen, “I have to agree or disagree with the statements I’m given —seems easy. I hope the results will tell me something about the other players.”

“I’m crabbing my popcorn for this”, Baekhyun announces, “This is going to be _juicy_.”

“ _It is not okay to slide into someone’s dms if they’re taken_ ”. Kyungsoo reads as the first question appears.

Kyungsoo thinks for a moment as he chooses his words carefully. Years in television has taught him at least a bit more than just how to entertain the elderly. The whole subject of romantic relationships is very touchy within celebrities and as a chef he doesn’t even get the worst of it.

He’s always been careful of not saying anything regarding his love life —partly because of his attraction to the same sex as himself, partly because he feels it’s not relevant. There’s always been speculation but never anything based on facts simply because he hasn’t had anyone worth risking his career with him.

“I agree. If someone is taken and you know it, you have no right to disrespect that person’s relationship in any way —no matter if it’s just sliding into dms.”

“Facts”, Baekhyun mumbles with his mouth filled with food. Kyungsoo didn’t really believe he’d actually get popcorn. If it’s popcorn —he can’t tell just by munching. 

“I hope everyone has agreed”, Kyungsoo sighs, “But in this society? There’s not much hope.”

The results come with every profile picture on the side they chose. His big eyes get even bigger.

“THREE AGREE?”

It can’t be, he must’ve understood the question wrong. _It is not okay to slide into someone’s dms if they’re taken_ and he agreed with the statement alongside Miyeon and Sehyoon. Even Hye-Jin disagreed and _she’s in a relationship_.

MIYEON: _So is it cheating if you get a respond to your dm?_

HYE-JIN: _I condemn cheating and don’t think it is okay to slide into dms if someone is in a relationship but I’d be hypocritical if I had agreed._

WOOJIN: _It is the chick that makes the decision, I only offer options_ 🤷🏽♂️

“Just what the fuck Hye-Jin? That does not make any sense”, Kyungsoo huffs, “That answer made me like her a lot less. Miyeon has some sense at least. And what comes to Woojin, I didn’t expect anything else.”

CHUNGHA: _I don’t really think it is that serious. Not for me but do you._

YURI: _@MIYEON is that you saying I’m the reason people cheat? Thanks for the compliment but we girls should stick together_

MIYEON: _OH NO! I never meant to offend you nor anybody else_ 😥 _It was just a genuine question!_

CHUNGHA: _It’s okay Miyeon, and Yuri is right —we’re in this together!_

“Woah, so much happened at once”, Kyungsoo drinks the rest of his coffee, “These girls sure are fast paced.”

KYUNGSOO: _For me, I think it is right to respect the choices others have made regarding their relationships by not interfering._

SEHYOON: _There’s different situations people are in and I acknowledge that, I just could never do so myself._

JACKSON: _Guys, it’s not that serious. Just some fun and games._

“I don’t agree with what Jackson said, but I’m not going to do anything about it. There’s not anything I could change in his opinion anyways”, Kyungsoo says and Baekhyun hums in agreement, “Just the next question please.”

Like most technology these days, the Circle hears him and decides that was enough for that question by offering the second statement.

“ _Love at first sight exists”,_ Kyungsoo answers almost immediately, “Disagree. How could you just see someone and fall in love? It takes a lot more than that.”

“This question is kind of tricky”, Baekhyun says.

“How so? It’s pretty clear for me”, Kyungsoo doesn’t know why he’s so defensive but maybe the Circle is catching him with the mind games of isolation.

“I mean— I agree that you can’t just see someone and be in love but I think this depends how you understand the question. For me, sometimes I joke that it was love at first sight when I met Chanyeol. I saw him and decided that he’s the one I’m spending my life with —but it wasn’t _love_ at first sight. More like a gut feeling at first sight”, he explains.

“How romantic”, Kyungsoo huffs, “I get what you mean. Gut feeling at first sight.”

The answers stop their conversation short as they quiet down to look over them. Not that there would be much to look at as Miyeon is the only one who agrees.

“I’m surprised but pleased at the same time? Grown adults recognizing the importance of knowing their significant other —and sweet Miyeon who we need to protect at all costs.”

“How does she get dumb bitch pass?” Baekhyun complains and Kyungsoo doesn’t need to see him to know he’s waving his hands around, “You got so upset over me saying that there’re many sides to this.”

“She’s just that kind of personality —remember innocence? Yeah, that. And I don’t appreciate you calling her a dumb bitch.”

Baekhyun grumbles something inaudible under his breath but Kyungsoo knows he’s not really upset. Call it a gut feeling without sight or whatever.

YURI: _@MIYEON_ _Are you that innocent ???_

CHUNGHA: _Sweetie, the world doesn’t work like that._

WOOJIN: @ _YURI maybe she’s just dumb_

SEHYOON: _Let her speak first before judging guys_

JACKSON: _Well, what do you say @MIYEON_

“They really are cornering her over this”, Kyungsoo frowns, “I just don’t get it.”

MIYEON: _I just believe that it is possible to meet the one and know it from the start. Nothing more._

HYE-JIN: _I don’t know about you but I disagreed because you need to know the person well before falling in love_ 🤷🏻♀️

WOOJIN: _That’s a different thing. Love is love @MIYEON_

“How was it? She needs to be protected at all costs?” Baekhyun teases “If staying silent is your new support mechanism, I don’t think it’s working.”

“I’m on it, calm down”, Kyungsoo thinks, “Why is he using _love is love_? Does he know what it means?”

KYUNGSOO: _@MIYEON I don’t think you can fall in love right after the first meeting but I’m sure it’s possible to know if you’re meant to be with someone from the start_

YURI: _@MIYEON Don’t come crying when your ‘love’ shows his asshole colors_

HYE-JIN: _Everyone can have their own opinion even if it differs from yours_

 _“_ Why are these people so triggered?” Baekhyun rages, “The question before didn’t even arouse this much opposition!”

“Because majority was on the controversial side”, Kyungsoo sighs.

MIYEON: _I’m not that naïve! I know that love isn’t something simple that can be achieved by looks only_ 😖

KYUNGSOO: _Let’s leave this here. She just didn’t take the statement as literally as the rest of us_

“This is so much more hectic than what I anticipated.” Kyungsoo stretches his legs out and grabs the cup to bring it to the sink.

“There’s a good reason I said I’d bring the popcorn —although I’m sure I’m enjoying this much more than you’re. I don’t have to make any decisions.”

The Circle lets out the standard noise as the screen changes. It is the next statement.

“ _Personality is all that matters._ ” Kyungsoo pauses to pour the dishwashing soap into the cup. “In what? Life? Relationships?”

“Are you asking me or just speaking to yourself? It’s kind of hard to know”, Baekhyun munches into the mic.

“Myself. I’m going to agree because I think personality is all that matters in the end.”

He luckily cleans the cup right on time before the answers are shown as he would’ve dropped it otherwise.

“Whoa, Woojin, Chungha, Yuri _and_ Sehyoon disagree? Out of all of us, I trusted Sehyoon.” He wipes his hands trying to comprehend. “But he seems so not someone who’d disagree. I’m dying to know what they are going to say. Either it’s good reasoning or really bad personality flaws.”

Kyungsoo nods his head, Baekhyun is right. He takes the notebook he has abandoned and writes some points from the two previous rounds and gets ready to make a big list of judgements based on these answers.

“Come on, no one is saying anything.”

HYE-JIN: _I’m curios to know what’s in your minds rn_

KYUNGSOO _: I don’t have much to say —the way you look is worth nothing if your personality is bad_

SEHYOON _: I’d like to hope it would be like that in our world and I could agree but it unfortunately isn’t and I have to disagree._

WOOJIN _: Being attractive gets you far and that’s a fact. Some people are ugly and that’s just how it is._

YURI: _People have eyes for a reason. I’m not saying to judge people by their looks but I’m saying it matters._

_“_ Sehyoon was a bit confusing but I think I understood”, Kyungsoo thinks out loud, “He’s saying that looks shouldn’t matter but they do?”

He doesn’t even bother to comment on Woojin anymore —he has nothing to say as he keeps proving his low expectations high.

“That’s what I got out from it at least.” Baekhyun’s voice lowers in volume as he turns away from the mic he’s speaking into. “Look at the comments; someone is getting offended.”

MIYEON: _Everyone is precious no matter their looks —personality should and is the only thing that matters for me!_ 🥰🥰

JACKSON: _Preach sis! Whatever you look like is just secondary to the vibes I get from you_

WOOJIN _: Are you all hypocrites? Everyone of you look above average and surely some of us are catfishes —if you’d really think that looks don’t matter why do you look so good? @CHUNGHA What do you think?_

CHUNGHA: _@WOOJIN_ _Why are you attacking me? You think I’m a catfish?_

CHUNGHA _: I have to agree with others. I only disagreed because in my profession personality is not all that matters —something I’d like to change._

_“_ He really went for a kill, didn’t he? Let’s see how others respond”, Kyungsoo leans against the counter and crosses his arms.

HYE-JIN: _Wanting to look good and judging people by their looks are two completely different things_

JACKSON _: Are you really admitting how shallow you are? Bad game move my guy_ 🤭

SEHYOON _: All of us know that some of us are catfishes. How do we know you’re not one? Until we know let’s stop pointing fingers at each other, shall we?_

MIYEON: @ _WOOJIN I can imagine the amount of people you’ve hurt with your words —please do better!_

WOOJIN _: I’m staying true to myself unlike y’all —I don’t play any games_ 😌

Kyungsoo picks up the pen he disregarded during the conversation. He has no idea what to write down. Woojin unfortunately has a point but with a very bad opinion. He could be controversial on purpose to make people think he’s real —but then people would dislike him which is against the whole point of the game.

Jackson on other hand brought the game up immediately like it’s the only thing on his mind. Miyeon is just a sweetie and he can imagine her being in her own apartment, frustrated over people like Woojin.

“The circle, write a comment —no, never mind, I don’t want to get involved.”

“You sure?” Baekhyun asks, “You want to stay neutral in this war?”

“This once —yes.”

OOO

“Do you think you should unpack everything or just leave them in just _in case_?”

“Baekhyun, I know you’re older than me so with all due respect, that was a terrible pun.” Kyungsoo digs the suitcase to find his eyeglass case. “But to answer, I’ll leave them for now —no hasty decisions yet.”

The big screen on the bedroom wall lights up with an alert, surprising both Kyungsoo and his personal entertainer, Baekhyun.

“ _PLAYERS, THE RATINGS RESULTS ARE IN?!_ ” Kyungsoo lets out a manly scream before reading the following text in a fairly excited voice.

“Awww Kyungsoo this is our first rating together!” Baekhyun coos from around him.

“And maybe the last.”

Baekhyun is about to protest but the 8th and 7th places show up. Kyungsoo tries to look as calm as possible, succeeding quite well. He’s like a statue with how still he’s sitting. It’s a formed habit —back straight, hands on knees, face like steel.

“I’m fine with everything. These mean nothing because the influencers are the ones deciding in the end.” Still, being last would sting quite hard.

The eight place fills with Yuri’s profile picture and name, relieving some of his tension. The seventh place follows fast and Woojin comes up on the screen. He’s not surprised by the players, his last places Jackson and Chungha are too liked by the others to be there.

“We —you— have beaten one quarter of the players, not too shabby if I may say so.” Baekhyun cheers as the places for 6th and 5th come forward.

Kyungsoo lets his words come in from one ear and exit from the another. His focus is solely on the screen.

“The sixth is…” he holds his breath as the player is announced, “Jackson —I did not see that coming.”

He breathes out but doesn’t let his posture change. It’s nowhere near over. The suspense is getting longer each time.

He stays quiet when a picture of a man leaning against a brick wall turns onto the screen. His name and profile.

Baekhyun’s gasp is nearly inaudible but the chef hears it well through the silence of the room, “It’s me. I’m the fifth”, a smile breaks on his face and he shakes his head. It’s a good place to be in. He’s not a threat nor is he disliked the most.

His picture disappears from the center and is added with Jackson’s to the rank above the other players shown already. It’s his time to step aside for the 4th and 3rd players.

He slumps down now that his part has been played. It’s Chungha’s face that gets the fourth place and the spot above him. Gladly, it’s her and not one of the other three as they’re his favorites. He had a pretty good aim with the most liked with Sehyoon, Miyeon and Hye-Jin placing in the top three —two of them becoming the influencers.

“I hope Sehyoon is in the first or second place as currently he’s the only one I’ve talked one-on-one”, Kyungsoo mumbles but shuts his mouth when the third is revealed, “Well, I guess that’s not happening.”

Sehyoon’s name and profile picture appear on top of Chungha’s as the places for 1st and 2nd move forward. Miyeon and Hye-Jin own the spots as the first influencers but now they’re just flexing which one got more points.

The pictures turn at the same time, placing Hye-Jin under Miyeon, “Miyeon’s not a bad number one. I like her and even if it might come off as fishing, I’ll go talk to her.”

“You do that and I’ll head home in a moment”, Baekhyun’s words catch Kyungsoo off-guard as he realizes it’s already late enough for the shift change, “You’re going to spend the night with Jongdae —he’s noisy but fun to be around—, good luck!”

The microphone is turned off and it really dawns on him how weird this is. He has spoken to this random guy through the speakers the whole day with him being able to see everything Kyungsoo does, but not the other way ‘round. And soon there’s a new guy just babysitting him while he sleeps.

He leaves the thought alone before he gets too deep into it.

The puzzle waits him on the coffee table just how he last left it. The casket is getting it’s shape and one of the bunnies has it’s face assembled. He’s about to dive in but the Circle has other thoughts.

“ _You’ve been invited to a private chat with MIYEON”,_ Kyungsoo tries to get over his shock. She did what he was about to do in a while, which is a great sign.

KYUNGSOO: _Hi! How are you doing now, ms. Influencer?_ 😄 _Congrats by the way!_

MIYEON _: Hey, good, thank you!_

KYUNGSOO _: Why do I own the pleasure to get to chat with you privately?_

MIYEON _: I wanted to thank you —for sticking up to me in the Ice Breaker-game. I felt so misunderstood_

“I love her in the most platonic way ever”, Kyungsoo smiles widely without any sarcasm for the first time here —eyes wrinkling and all, “She’s just so, so bright?”

KYUNGSOO: _Don’t take it too hard, I’m sure they get where you’re coming from —you’re hard to dislike_

MIYEON _: I knew from the start that you’d be someone I can trust and I’m glad I was right!_

“She liked me from the start?” Kyungsoo’s eyes widen, “And she trusts me? I can’t help but feel like she’s telling me I’m safe tonight. That we’re allies now”, he abandons the puzzle pieces he’s been playing with to focus solely on Miyeon.

MIYEON _: How has been your first day until now? I’ve been a nervous wreck the whole time_ 😅

KYUNGSOO: _Good, I guess? So much has happened and I bet we’re all getting used to all this —everyone reacts differently._

KYUNGSOO _: I liked your profile, too, from the start and the feeling hasn’t changed at all, gotten stronger if something_

MIYEON _: I’m glad to hear that :) I’m excited to get to know you better if that’s alright with you?_

“I’m not sure if she’s flirting or just friendly, but I’ll go with the flow anyway”, Kyungsoo decides.

KYUNGSOO: _Of course it is! Let’s stay in the game to the end —by each other’s side_

MIYEON _:_ 💕💕

“Eww that’s sweet”, a new voice announces and Kyungsoo can hear takeout bags being put down on the table.

“Kyungsoo, this is Jongdae, your company for the night”, Baekhyun inserts and the player just nods.

“Nice to meet you Jongdae”, he finally says as there’s no voices coming from the speakers.

“It is! I’ve been waiting to meet you for the longest time now”, this Jongdae guy tells him with energy enough to power Seoul for a night, “Baekhyun just said that you’re quote: an ok boring tight-ass with a bad sense of humor, but I don’t believe him because his jokes are just dumb and that doesn’t seem nice thing to start off with.”

Kyungsoo contemplates for a second, listening to Baekhyun’s whining, “You could say that. It’s not like my ass is lose either so… he’s not lying, is he?”

“I don’t know what he was talking about, you’re great”, Jongdae chuckles.

“Thanks, isn’t it your time to leave Baekhyun?”

The gasp Baekhyun lets out is comical and that’s enough for Kyungsoo to forgive him. It’s not like he doesn’t know he’s not the most fun person on the planet. He’s also sure that in Baekhyun’s language the words meant well.

He hears some grumbling from the speakers but eventually Baekhyun leaves. Finally he can focus on the puzzle without any distractions.

“Do you like Chinese food, Kyungsoo, being chef and all?”

He just ends up releasing a big sigh.

OOO

It must be question forty-something when the loud alert saves Kyungsoo from answering. He has advanced onto the third bunny in the puzzle and the nth cup of coffee that day during their little game.

“I have been invited to the _At risk chat_? How flattering!” Yeah, that extra dose of caffeine is making him super sarcastic.

The six of them —the non-influencers— are the only ones invited.

JACKSON: _How are you guys doing? This has already been a crazy journey and if I’m leaving today I can’t help but be super grateful for everything_ 🥇

KYUNGSOO: _This feels unreal, I can’t believe this is happening_

SEHYOON: _Our time together has been short but I’m sure the person leaving will be remembered —I just hope we would’ve had more time to get to know each other._

“I not speaking the absolute truth here because I talked to Miyeon and I’m feeling safe for now”, he explains, “Sehyoon sounding like someone died though.”

YURI: _I’m saddened by my placement but if I leave I know I made real connections here_ 😘

WOOJIN: _@YURI you deserved more than the 8th place baby_

“So... they have something going on or am I just misreading this situation?”

“They have something going on. Not that I know for sure”, Jongdae guesses.

CHUNGHA _: I’m freaking out here, I don’t want to lose anyone tonight!_

SEHYOON: _I can’t even imagine what the influencers are feeling right now —so much responsibility_

Before Kyungsoo can respond to Sehyoon, the huge alert sign stops their conversation short.

“ _The influencers have made their decision”,_ Kyungsoo whispers under his breath and fixes his glasses. It’s starting to feel real, “ _All players must move to the Circle Chat.”_

Nobody tries to write anything, everybody just waiting the influencers to speak up.

Kyungsoo isn’t surprised when Hye-Jin is the one to start to write.

HYE-JIN: _The decision we made tonight with Miyeon was difficult, as expected, especially because we don’t know any of the players well._

HYE-JIN: _The player to be blocked was chosen because of their comments and what we have seen from his profile and behavior_

HYE-JIN: _The player we chose to block is…_

“Who has said something controversial? It can’t be Miyeon with her love at first sight because she is the influencer”, Kyungsoo asks no one in particular.

HYE-JIN: _Woojin_

“I’m not going to judge but why? Like he’s his own personality, but is he block-worthy? I don’t know.”

“Well, if you were in their shoes, who would’ve you blocked?” Jongdae asks and yawns.

“I-“, Kyungsoo thinks for a moment. He doesn’t know. “Touché.”

The conversation on the screen ends as a notification tells the players that Woojin has been blocked from the Circle.

“It’s really alert after an alert”, Kyungsoo sighs as the familiar text appears again. It repeats what the notification told, before adding: “ _Before Woojin leaves he can meet one of the players. Woojin is on his way to meet one of you.”_

The words take a second to sink in. Then he panics.

“You mean actually, face to face meet —not like Skype or some shit?”

“Yeah, good old face to face.” Jongdae sounds like he’s not even paying attention, which is probably true.

“On another thought, why would he come to me?” Kyungsoo sits back down and decides to get the bunnies together. He’s dressed decent enough if Woojin drops by, but he’s not making any extra effort tonight. “He’ll go to Yuri’s. That’s my guess.”

When the three bunnies are all assembled together some time later —as he doesn’t have a clock to know— he stands up and chooses to get ready for bed.

“I don’t think he’s coming to me”, he brushes his pants and brings his coffee cup to the sink. He’ll wash it tomorrow.

OOO

“Good morning to you, mr. Sunshine. It’s time to get your ass up.” It’s Jongdae’s bright voice that forces Kyungsoo to open his sensitive eyes.

“I got it, the bright lights were a good sign. You know, easing me awake”, Kyungsoo isn’t usually grumpy during mornings, but the first night at the Circle wasn’t one of the most easiest cases of ‘close your eyes and sleep’.

He begins his day with the normal morning stuff; trip to the bathroom, face wash and a tooth brush, and a cup of dark coffee. He’s almost done, already at brushing his teeth when he almost chockes on the tooth brush.

“Bwan alngle?!” What he tries to say is _An alert?!_ but it comes off a bit rough.

He quickly rinses his mouth and moves to the kitchen to properly start off his day, “ _Please update your status.”_

He’s not awake enough for these kinds of tasks. He’ll go with something neutral, but nothing too safe.

“Circle, update my status to _The weather is good and so is the circle, but let’s not forget at what cost.”_ Kyungsoo stares at the wall blankly. That may have been too dramatic. He wasn’t even that close with Woojin.

His status uploads itself to the feed where the other’s statuses are.

“Oh, Miyeon’s is so her: _Didn’t have a good night’s sleep —yesterday still weighing me down this morning. Hope this day’ll be better_ 🤞🏼 I’ll like that. And Sehyoon’s too. _Past is what shapes us, but let’s not let it keep us from moving forward.”_

The way the feed looks like, it’s like someone super close has been lost when in fact they knew Woojin for a less than a day. But Kyungsoo still kind of gets it. It’d feel wrong just to side the fact that his game ended so soon. Expect for Jackson apparently.

“ _Nothing is better than a morning workout at the Circle_ 💪🏼“, Kyungsoo reads. He’s not going to like Jackson’s status when Yuri’s is like: _I’m disappointed but not surprised. I feel like I was robbed of something good —did I trust too soon?, “_ I basically have to give a like to that. Otherwise I’ll be too heartless.”

Hye-Jin’s status shows up next. _I was again reminded that this is a game we’re living in. With power comes a great responsibility —maybe the biggest thing the Circle is going to teach us during our stay._

“She’s just so mature with everything says. I really want to like her, but the way she basically said cheating is okay while she’s in a relationship really bugs me. I’ll like her comment though. It’s great.”

Kyungsoo starts preparing his breakfast when the last status is updated. It’s Chungha’s, “ _I got my well deserved beauty sleep —for staying in the game!_ 😴 _Hope y’all are doing GREAT today and are bathing in these positive vibes_ 🤩 With all the positivity, she ain’t getting them likes. Not from me at least.” Before he continues on his food, he checks the likes he got.

“Everyone liked it? I bet Jackson and Chungha did only because they want to be nice to everyone.”

“Did you notice that they only got likes from each other?” Jongdae points out, “That’s kinda rough.”

It is.

“Another alert?” Kyungsoo doesn’t have enough energy to be surprised anymore when the circle alerts him again, “ _Woojin has left a video message for The Circle._ Oh, so we get to see the real him? Is he going to tell us who he met yesterday?”

A video pops up with the signature profile photo of Woojin —flexing his abs at the gym.

At first he doesn’t see anything but a deep voice of a man calls out.

“What’s up the Circle? It’s me, Woojin—“ the screen changes into a video of a man who’s definitely not Woojin. His eyes are much bigger, like his lips, and the whole face structure is different. The smile on his face is big and bright and Kyungsoo can already know that this hot dude doesn’t have the personality of Woojin, “Well, actually, I’m Lucas. Woojin is my friend, also known as a Matthew —but the personality was totally fake.

“I regret choosing to play like I did because it clearly didn’t work out! Also I should not have played as a native Korean speaker —because I had trouble keeping my grammar good, which is probably why I was suspicious. Good luck with the game, but keep your eyes open. There’s some though players out there. See you soon and peace out!”

The video cuts off and Kyungsoo just sighs as he rests his head against the table.

“It’s so weird to think that anyone could be anyone —like how I’m I supposed to know? I really thought he was real but I guess not.” He turns off the stove, “I can’t help but think that I have to stop being so suspicious of everyone and just play like everyone is who they say they are. It’s not like the Circle’s point is to catch the catfishes —it’s just to find out who’s the most popular.”

He stays quiet for a while, thinking.

“What if I already trust someone who’s not what they say they are, and I still think that they’re a great person?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEyyyyyy!!!!!!
> 
> I'm super happy with myself as I f i n a l l y got this posted. I really put in effort to get this out as soon as possible —although sooner would've been better. I've been working and working out this whole summer until now and today is my first day off, so I've been fairly busy these days.
> 
> (I'm talking with this guy who's like reeeeallly hot and he especially said when I asked about his music taste that he doesn't listen to that Korean anime music — And I was like,,,, well now that you mention it)
> 
> Anyways I wanted to share that with you although it's really irrelevant. 
> 
> BUT what do you think? Who should Kyungsoo trust? Are there any catfishes and if so, who? ALSO, if there's something you want me to fix/correct my grammar/other things you want to tell me, feel free to do so!
> 
> Until next time,
> 
> SwordOfQueen<3


	3. EP 3: DATE NIGHT

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kyungsoo’s emotions are a mess but that’s better than being a mess wholly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very very very brief mention of emotionally abusive relationship!!!

“ _Hi, how has your morning been?_ ”

HYE-JIN: _Hi Kyungsoo! I’m glad you reached out to me_ 😊

HYE-JIN: _Lucas being a catfish was a shock because I had no idea even when we blocked him_

“ _It makes you think, doesn’t it? How to know who really is what they say_ ”, Kyungsoo speaks and the text follows.

He has gotten over the first wave of doubts, coming to the conclusion that he’ll stop thinking other contestants as _players._ All of them will be just themselves until proven otherwise.

HYE-JIN: _I share your feelings. I guess we just have to find a balance between taking everything with a grain of salt and following our feelings._

The way Hye-Jin always voices her thoughts is something Kyungsoo really admires. She’s clear, mature and straight to the point. It’s easy to imagine her striding across company hallways oozing confidence, taking in information from the people shuffling alongside her and distributing tasks at the same rate.

“ _I’ve been bothered by what you said in the Ice Breaker- game_ ”, Kyungsoo starts as it’s time for the real reason he wanted to talk to Hye-Jin, “ _You said that you condemn cheating but would’ve been a hypocrite if you had agreed. Can you explain this more_?”

“That’s well phrased. It’s not like you’re forcing her to talk about this but you’re still emphasizing that this is important to you”, Jongdae speaks up for the first time in a while. The quiet is quite pleasant before Baekhyun’s constant rambling that’s about to start at the shift change.

“You’re talking as if we didn’t think what I’m about to say for like 10 minutes.” The leather couch creaks as Kyungsoo moves to a more comfortable pose, “She’s writing a whole paragraph.”

HYE-JIN: _Thank you for asking me when it bothered you — and not just judging me. Sehyoon asked the same thing yesterday and I’ll gladly clear the air and tell you the same things as I said to him. If there’s still something you’d like to know, just ask and I’ll answer. You’ve probably noticed that I’m not single —_ _this thing has to do how we got together._

“ _First of all, I think cheating is NEVER okay. While I don’t count answering a DM as cheating, I firmly believe it’s something you shouldn’t do and it applies to sliding into someone taken’s DMs too. The reason why I couldn’t agree without being a hypocrite is that I met my current boyfriend when I was in a relationship through him sliding into my DMs_.” Hye-Jin takes a break for Kyungsoo to read, before continuing the story.

“ _Honestly speaking, I wasn’t at a very good place then. The relationship is was in, was emotionally abusive and we had been just dragging the whole thing along for months, both unable to cut it off for different reasons. At first the DMs were mostly one sided as I didn’t know how to respond. After speaking with him more and in depth I realized that I never knew that relationships could be something like what we had, rather than what I was used to experiencing. Soon after that I broke off the abusive relationship, just to notice that he had become my number one a long time ago._ ” She finishes and stops writing, waiting for his reply.

In one of the apartments around him, there’s Hye-Jin, who has just told him something so personal, probably still in pajamas and sipping coffee. It’s weird to put the story together with the bold Hye-Jin who he is used to.

“ _Thank you for telling me this and I’m sorry you had to go through something like that. I now know what you meant._ ” Kyungsoo sends the message.

KYUNGSOO: _I wish all the best to you and your boyfriend_

HYE-JIN _: Thank you! I have healed and grown since those days._

HYE-JIN _: Sorry for dumping all this onto you though! It just gives more context to my choice of words_

KYUNGSOO _: Don’t worry about it :) If you want to talk again, I’ll happily listen_

_“Same to you_!” Hye-Jin ends the conversation and Kyungsoo really hopes the positive note he’s hearing on the words is true.

OOO

“Open it”, Baekhyun urges but Kyungsoo purposefully moves slower than usual as he puts the plates back to their places, “Faster, please!”

“Circle, open this _Nailed it/Failed it -_ app”, The screen fills up with instructions and Kyungsoo begins to read them out loud, “ _Welcome to today’s game – Nailed it/Failed it. Players must put their cake making skills to the test.”_

Kyungsoo’s eye twitches. He’s a chef and not a baker for a reason. Baekhyun’s excitement still pressures him into reading without complaints.

_“Players will have 30 minutes to decorate a cake resembling a new player, Jongin”_ , his eyes widen behind the thick glasses. The circle really knows how to give a surprise, “ _You should upload a photo of your completed cake to the Newsfeed. The cake that Jongin likes the most will earn their baker a prize.”_

“Okay… But who is Jongin?”

Baekhyun moves him to view the newest profile. The profile picture is of a gray-haired man eating fries in what seems to be a fast-food restaurant —regrettably. His face is turned away from the camera, showing the part of the face that isn’t covered by hair. He has full lips and a straight nose. The jawline is decent too.

“Why didn’t he pick a photo showing better his eyebrows and eyes?” As irritated he is, he moves onto the other information, “26 and single —he’s younger than me. _I am a dance teacher from Seoul! A huuuge puppy lover with three doggies at home_ 🐶 _I came here to make memories with people I know I’ll never forget_ 🤩”

Dancers are usually a weakness for Kyungsoo and it seems like they’re this time as well. Jongin gets bonus points for dogs too —although thinking about dogs makes him miss more Meokmul and Huchu who are waiting for him at his parents' house. The only complaints he has are the slight overdose of cheesiness and the fast food.

“Is it time for me to start working?”

“We have to wait for others to get ready before starting”, Baekhyun stretches the last word as he aggressively types something on his computer, “It won’t take long anymore.”

“I’m not sure how seriously I should take this. I don’t like baking a lot.”

“It said that it’s only decorating, is that better or worse?” Baekhyun questions, “But can you please try your best?”

He uses his best pleading voice, but luckily Kyungsoo doesn’t see him for the full effect, “Why should I?”

“I can’t say what it is,” he continues the pleading, adding more whine to it, ”but think about the prize ‘Soo!”

“If it’s just decorating I guess that’s doable”, Kyungsoo finally relents just as the screen changes back to the white instruction text on the blue background. _“Everything you need has been delivered to your door. Your time starts now!”_

Kyungsoo wouldn’t say he runs to the door, but his steps are faster than normal —as there is only 30 minutes to work.

As promised, there are two boxes on the other side of the door. The first has two cakes, one smaller than the other. The second is filled with different kinds of frostings and candy clay in many different colors, as well as sprinkles, candies and fruits.

As he sorts everything out and builds the cake, an idea forms inside his head. He’s not sure how it’s going to turn out, but at least he’ll _try_.

OOO

“If you don’t win, I’ll sue.”

Kyungsoo wipes the table clean of every sugary spot he had missed on the first round. The cake sits proudly in the middle of the table, shaking by the power Kyungsoo puts into rubbing the surface.

“For reals, ‘Soo! Who is doing it like you? There’s miniature Seoul with small 3D N Seoul Tower, Gyeongbok, Bukhansan National Park _and_ Lotte World —some more recognizable, some less, BUT that’s understandable.” Baekhyun takes a huge breath and continues his praising, “You even added those dance numbers to the sides that you called… what was it? Countings?”

“8-counts.”

“Yeah those, on top of shaping three dogs. And you frosted the rest like a rainbow. _Wonder why so_.”

It sounds fancier than what it really is now that Baekhyun describes it. It looks as hurried as it was to make. He tried to find its best angles when he took the photo, but there’s only so much he can fix with lighting and angles.

“Look Kyungsoo, the first one is up! It’s Chungha’s.”

Her name and picture is accompanied by a self-taken photo of a cake. It’s probably a portrait of Jongin but there’s not much resemblance to be honest —other than the color of the hair.

“I looks a little like a child did that.”

“Well, I can’t disagree”, Baekhyun hums and blurts out as the next picture comes up, “That’s a mess.”

“But very artsy mess”, the cake screams Sehyoon so much Kyungsoo doesn’t even have to read the profile. There’s Seoul’s skyline and music notes mixed together in a way that weirdly works out.

The picture of Miyeon appears and tells it her turn now. Her cake is definitely assembled wrong, but the decorations are actually very detailed and pretty. They represent a pretty accurate candy version of Jongin’s profile picture.

“If you thought Sehyoon’s cake was a mess, I don’t think we have a word for what’s that thing is on Miyeon’s table”, Kyungsoo points out, “I had pictured her as someone very neat and cleanly, but I guess I was wrong.”

“She’s your biggest rival for now.”

Baekhyun has been focusing on winning the entire time this game has lasted and it’s little by little starting to rub off onto Kyungsoo. The price must be good, no?

“Oh, it’s yours now!” Baekhyun cheers one-sidedly.

Kyungsoo squints his eyes as he scrutinizes the photo. He wonders what will Jongin focus on it. Is it the dogs or the rainbow icing? And on what does he base his choice of a winner? He could value the aesthetic or the amount of work —or just trying hard.

“Can it go away already?” He says so although he wants to look at it a little longer. The circle takes the photo away anyway and replaces it with Yuri’s cake.

“Well she at least made it clear that she didn’t even try.” Only one of the cakes has been covered with white frosting, decorated with a pathetic ‘Jongin’ written with candy on top of it. “I hope he doesn’t mind her. Can’t feel good to have that kind of a welcome.”

Baekhyun’s silence agrees with Kyungsoo.

Jackson has put effort into making a dozen candy dancers as decorations which already makes the cake seem leagues above Yuri’s. It may not be intended, but it’s very humorous for a cake —mostly because of the people resembling sausages a lot.

“Kyungsoo are those really made from sausages or am I seeing things?”

He’s about to correct the producer, but takes a closer look only to find out they are suspiciously sausage-like from up close. The picture changes and the change of light briefly blinds him.

“Your puppies are better than hers I think.”

Hye-Jin is the last baker to be judged and the cake is… average.

It has a lot of different kinds of piles of candy and frosting and a ‘Welcome’ written —with a lot more effort than Yuri’s— in the middle of it all. The hardest decorations she did are the three dogs that could be donkeys by the looks of them, if you didn’t know any better.

“The prize is ours”, Baekhyun declares, “I was on your side from the beginning, remember that.”

“We don’t know yet, busybody.”

The blue screen returns and makes them wait for Jongin to make his decision until he’s ready and they’re all moved to a chat.

JONGIN: _Thank you all for your cakes!! I loved seeing you put your efforts into making them_

JONGIN _: All of them were unique and had different approaches to the task, which I loved to see :)_

JONGIN _: But I can choose only one winner, the one that included most of the things I mentioned with excellent execution_

JONGIN _: The cake I like the most was baked by @KYUNGSOO_

Cue to Kyungsoo and Baekhyun losing their minds.

“ _Congratulations Kyungsoo for winning this game. You will get to eat dinner with Jongin and get to know him better. The other Players will be buffered until the morning.”_ Baekhyun screams the words to Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoo needs a moment to take it all in. The cake stares him back as he comprehends.

“You have a DATE, Kyungsoo _,_ a date to go”, Baekhyun fusses, “Hurry up, we got to get you ready! Oh, and you’ll have to cut out a piece of that cake for Jongin.”

“Who said anything about a date — _it’s just a dinner._ ”

Kyungsoo rummages the cabinets for anything that can cut a cake.

He abruptly stops as he realizes, “What will I wear?”

“We’ll figure it out, don’t worry he won’t see you anyways.”

The circle lets out its familiar alert noise, _Jongin has send you a gift. This has been delivered to your door._

“I- What?”

“Just put the spatula down and go get your gift Kyungsoo.”

Kyungsoo looks down and notices the wooden spatula in his hand. _Oh_.

OOO

The room is full of all kinds of decorations ranging from empty vases to multicolored fairy lights. Unlike his own apartment, it’s quite far from being his preferred style —the wallpaper is dark blue with golden patterns all over the place. Not a thing there could be referred as minimalistic or simple.

He sets the giant teddy bear he received from Jongin onto an empty vintage chair couple meters away from the table he’s supposed to sit in, securing it to sit up straight.

It’s an adorable gift. He doesn’t know if there were other things to choose from or if Jongin could wish for anything he wanted to gift him —it’s the best either way. There’s no room to be lonely with that thing next to him all the time —you won’t catch Kyungsoo leaving it behind.

He squeezes the bear’s hand one more time before moving on, to the center of the room. It’s lit up more brightly than other parts of the room, probably to show all his micro expressions to the cameras. As he approaches the table set for one, his breath hitches in his throat.

“It’s beautiful.”

He can recognize all the work that has been put into setting this up. The candlelight flickers prettily upon the cutlery that reflect the light back to him. There’s also moonstones and other kinds of decorative stones he doesn’t know.

He sits down, staring the screen in front of him that is soon going to be his way of communicating with Jongin. The black surface mirrors him and he’s once again grateful to Baekhyun who helped him get ready.

He didn’t plan on doing much but ended up styling his hair up and putting on light makeup due to the producer’s suggestion. The turtleneck he’s wearing under the suit jacket is a bit on the hotter side, but the overall look really helps him get into the right mood.

The silence is broken by three knocks to the door before a tall man steps in with his food. It’s the same guy who took the piece of cake to Jongin when Kyungsoo had cut it. He stays silent when he sets the plates down and mumbles something that Kyungsoo decides to take as:

“Enjoy your time.”

“You too”, he whispers and blushes.

He keeps his eyes glued tightly to the plates in front of him as the man leaves. It’s a full three-course meal, very simple but fancy enough to suit the situation.

“Well handled”, Jongdae speaks up for the first time tonight. He swapped places with the salty Baekhyun right before he stepped into the room, “You should’ve seen Yifan’s face when you answered.”

“Luckily that won’t be aired at least. They wouldn’t allow me to be seen with other people.”

Jongdae doesn’t reply as the Circle opens and reveals a chat room solely for him and Jongin, who’s already writing.

JONGIN: _I’m glad you could you could join me on this dinner_

Kyungsoo rolls his eyes and huffs out a laugh. This man is already such a cheese ball.

KYUNGSOO: _I didn’t have many choices, did I?_

KYUNGSOO: _But I’m happy I’m the one sitting here_

_“…_ with you.” Kyungsoo adds as an afterthought when the message has been sent already.

JONGIN: _The choice was obvious._

JONGIN: _You look dashing, I just had to point that out_

Kyungsoo looks around briefly, wondering if Jongin can actually see him.

“There’s no way he can see you”, Jongdae notices his concern, “He’s being polite.”

“ _I’m sure that applies to you as well_ ”, Kyungsoo can imagine Jongin sitting across him, all handsome, “ _Should we start?”_

_“Start what?”_

“Dating”, Kyungsoo answers sarcastically but hurries to correct, “Don’t put that in Jongdae.”

KYUNGSOO: _Eating. The food looks good._

JONGIN: _Oh_

JONGIN: _So you haven’t started yet?_

_“_ This man really is on an another level”, Kyungsoo laughs.

KYUNGSOO: _I thought it’s good manners to start together but… I guess this works too LOL_

“ _Please don’t laugh”,_ Jongin sounds desperate, “ _I’m not used to these things.”_

“ _What are these things? Manners or…?”_ Kyungsoo holds his breath waiting for an answer. What he gets is not something he expected.

JONGIN: _Do you worry how much people will talk about you when this’ll air?_

Kyungsoo can feel that this is a question he should take seriously so he answers as truthfully as he can, “ _I’m not a stranger to being talked about by media, and I was fully aware when I signed up that there will be more talking after this.”_

_“Then, are you afraid of being targeted or judged for the things you do, say or are during your time here? What I mean is that it’s your personal life on TV, for everybody to see”,_ Jongin is testing him —but for what, Kyungsoo doesn’t know. The questions sound awfully personal coming from the cheesy dance teacher with three dogs.

“ _If I know that I’m 100% true to myself and I’m not hurting anybody else with my actions, I don’t think there’s a reason for me to let those opinions get to me and apologize for being me.”_

This is not how he thought the conversation would go, diving straight to the deep end.

“ _You really are what you say in your profile”,_ Jongin changes the topic again, “ _I like that.”_

“But what was this all for? Figuring out if I’m a catfish or what?” Kyungsoo can’t keep up and it’s a tiny bit irritating to him. So he asks.

KYUNGSOO: _Thank you… I guess?_

KYUNGSOO: _I expected you to be a lot less serious —I’m not saying that as a bad thing_

KYUNGSOO: _Why the questions?_

_“I had to make sure my date is comfortable being called my date_ 😉”

Afterwards, Kyungsoo can only hope the editors take pity on him and edit him choking on the food in the most flattering way possible.

“Baekhyun was right, this is _a date_ ”, he fights down the blush and fans himself a little after cleaning the mess he made. He’s still not entirely sure how the questions connect to him being called Jongin’s date, but that’s secondary. Only then he notices Jongin writing again.

JONGIN: _PLEASE tell me if I’m misunderstanding or overstepping boundaries or anything_

JONGIN: _I just —you’re attractive and there was rainbow on the cake so I automatically thought that... you know_

JONGIN: _I’m sorry_

“I forgot I should answer and now he’s regretting —What do I do Jongdae?” Jongdae doesn’t get to answer when he already sends the first thing that comes to mind, “ _WAIT”_

_“I’m happily your date for tonight”,_ he thinks for a moment longer. This is not only him agreeing that this is a date, but coming out to the whole world, “Send.”

He has a bad feeling at how fast Jongin is capable of stirring his simple and quiet world upside down.

‘Please let the grannies be open-minded people’, he begs from the universe.

OOO

Kyungsoo finds himself from idling on the couch next to Nini —the bear that now has a name— after completing his morning routines. The bed seemed a lot more comfortable this time and he actually had slept so blissfully he wasn’t even mad about being waken up.

The Circle asks for his attention with a small noise accompanied by a banner.

“ _Miyeon has invited you to a group chat STORYTIME”,_ he reads and waits for something to happen, “Accept invite?”

The words work and a chat opens, revealing the members to be Miyeon and Sehyoon. He didn’t know they had gotten close, but it’s only natural people get to know each other —although he’s had quite the limited interactions so far.

MIYEON: _Heyyyyyyy_ 👋🏼

MIYEON: _I bet I’m talking for me and Sehyoon when I say_

MIYEON _: We.Want.Details._ 😫😫

_“You mean the date right?”_ Kyungsoo makes sure he’s on the right track.

“No, Kyungsoo, they’re asking about your breakfast”, Baekhyun huffs and announces his presence for the first time today, “You’re purposefully keeping us on our toes —not fair as some of us had to leave before the juicy stuff happened.”

“You do realize, you’re talking about leaving work right now?”

“Is it bad I enjoy what I do?”

SEHYOON: _So it was a date after all_

MIYEON: _DATE??_ 🤯

MIYEON: _TELL EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!_

KYUNGSOO: _It was a really cool place and the food was really good_

“Please don’t go into chef details”, Baekhyun pleads, “The date, Jongin —that’s the good stuff.”

KYUNGSOO: _Jongin gifted me a giant teddy bear that I named Nini after Jongin_

MIYEON _: HOW CUTE IS THAT_ 😭😭😍😍

“I was just about to ask about… Nini”, Baekhyun inserts again, “Why don’t I get gifts like that?”

Kyungsoo pretends like he doesn’t hear Baekhyun’s rambles.

“ _Overall, he was incredibly sweet the entire time and I really had fun. He’s very flirty but he also has a lot of sides to him that I didn’t expect. He’s playful but serious and always so considerate”_ , Kyungsoo thinks what else to say, “ _We talked a lot about the basic stuff, to get to know each other AND I CANNOT”_

SEHYOON: _What did he do?_

MIYEON: _OH NO that sounds bad_ 😖😖

KYUNGSOO: _Out of all the foods in the universe, HE LIKES FRIED CHICKEN THE MOST?!?!?!?_

SEHYOON: _I get him_

MIYEON: _I get him 2_

_“You two, too?”_ His faith in humanity is rapidly decreasing, _“As a punishment for such crime, I’m not telling you anything else”_

Petty, yes, but feels good after getting disrespected like that.

“Ya, Kyungsoo! That is totally not fair play”, Baekhyun complains, “I didn’t even say anything!”

“You’ll hear the details later anyways, so shut up.”

MIYEON: _Nooo oooo oo o_ 😒😒

SEHYOON: _Okay then :i_

“ _What’s :i?”_ Kyungsoo asks because he has never seen that thing before.

SEHYOON: _It is basically combination of these_ 😝😑

KYUNGSOO: … _noted_

MIYEON: _As enlightening this is_

MIYEON _: I have things to tell too_ 🙊🙊

SEHYOON: _About what?_

MIYEON: _More like who_

KYUNGSOO: _What do you have then_

Kyungsoo watches as three dots appear on top of Miyeon’s picture as she starts to write. They continue moving up and down one at a time for who knows how long.

“She has a lot to say”, Kyungsoo eventually points out.

“And you have a lot to read”, Baekhyun follows a moment later when the message finally gets delivered. It takes the whole screen —that’s how much there’s text and Kyungsoo hopes for the first time that she’d be less like herself.

Silence fills the apartment as both Kyungsoo and Baekhyun read the whole thing through. There are many insignificant parts, but there’s also some gold.

“Jackson should’ve known better than to flirt with Miyeon, Chungha and Yuri so explicitly. With girls, something like that never goes unnoticed”, Baekhyun summarizes the first part, “You probably haven’t even thought how strategically well you have formed connections; two guys and two girls —I’ll count Hye-Jin in— as everything will eventually end up to your ears. There’s no blind spots.”

“I haven’t thought that at all. But we should have guys’ chat too so we’ll bond like the girls do.”

“Jackson is the only one you don’t know well though”, the producer points out, “Do you even want to get to know him?”

“I hate to say it, but no —he just gives me bad vibes”, Kyungsoo admits half-hiding under Nini, “Back to the matter at hand! Chungha has been suspicious to me from the start and now that Miyeon confirmed how two-faced she is, I have to say it: I told you so. Trying to please everyone by lying straight to their faces won’t work for long.”

SEHYOON: _I would’ve never guessed Chungha to be like that_

KYUNGSOO: _She has chosen her way of playing_

SEHYOON: _And @MIYEON I’m sorry some guys are like that even if it’s not appropriate_

MIYEON: _Don’t worry about me! I wasn’t even interested_ 😝

The screens around him suddenly change into an alert, cutting their conversation and waking Kyungsoo from his slumber. He’s focusing, but he still doesn’t bother to correct his position upright.

_“_ Is it time for the ratings again?” His eyes notice the notebook with all the notes of the players laying on the dinner table but he decides against getting it. He’s playing this with his heart.

“AND Jongin can’t be rated? But he can rate others?” That means Kyungsoo will most likely rank higher this time —with the expectation that Kyungsoo is high on Jongin’s list, “Bring it on, Circle. Open ratings.”

The first places are relatively easy to sort out.

“Sehyoon and Miyeon are both important to me, but Sehyoon will get the first place because I feel like we’re more similar with our values and ways of thinking —based on the Ice Breaker -game”, Kyungsoo explains mostly because of the cameras, “Miyeon is on the second place.”

The Circle puts tiny numbers onto the profile pictures that he has already placed. Four other players’ pictures stare back at him, waiting to get their placements.

“After the talk we had, Hye-Jin definitely deserves the 3rd place. She’s not higher as I currently only admire her —I don’t have a deeper connection with her yet.”

He stares at the screen evaluating each person who is left.

“I feel weird putting Yuri fourth, but I don’t have many other choices here. She’s at least honest to an extent.”

According to Miyeon, Yuri was the first to point out the things Chungha had said that didn’t line up. After all the things the sweet, sweet Miyeon told them, Chungha and Jackson secured their last places for the way they play.

“In the end, I can understand more Jackson’s flirting, so he’ll be the fifth, leaving the sixth and last place to Chungha.”

OOO

The day has almost turned into an evening when the next alert rings inside the apartment complex. It makes Kyungsoo stop his book in middle of the chapter as he puts it down.

“SOOO~ do you know what time is it?” Baekhyun singsongs loudly.

Kyungsoo glances at the screen for a hint. It hasn’t changed yet, so he answers, “I think the Circle will tell me what’s up.”

It takes a moment but eventually the circle reveals its plan.

“Why are the ranks revealed already?” Kyungsoo asks, confused. The last time it took a much longer time than this, “I guess it varies from time to time.”

This time, probably because there’s one player less, only the 7th place appears. He wishes it won’t be him, Sehyoon or Miyeon.

It isn’t. The face of Chungha is such a surprise to him, he scrambles up from the bed in a disarray.

“I didn’t expect this! Do the other players not trust her either?”

The 6th and 5th places come forward together after Chungha has been placed to the bottom of the ranking. Last time, they were Jackson and Kyungsoo’s placements respectively.

“I can bet anything that you’re now placed higher. There’s so many people on your side now compared to first impressions”, Baekhyun speculates. Although it doesn’t matter that much in the end, Kyungsoo hopes he’s even one number higher.

The pictures turn and reveal Yuri as the sixth and Jackson on the 5th place. The fact that Jackson is one place higher becomes a side note when it klicks to Kyungsoo. The placements from the first to forth all belong to him, Miyeon, Sehyoon and Hye-Jin.

“This looks a little like we have our team and Yuri, Jackson and Chungha have their own team”, Kyungsoo points out, “And we’re on the winning side.”

Of course, he could be wrong as he doesn’t know who has voted for who and has connections behind the scenes —without him knowing about them.

Jackson and Yuri’s pictures push Chungha’s lower before 4th and 3rd places take the spotlight. Whatever the outcome will be, he believes he’s safe until the next rankings. Having Hye-Jin and Miyeon be the influencers again could cause them trouble later as they’d be bigger threats.

The profiles are revealed and Kyungsoo lets out a squeal, “Influencer! I’m an influencer!”

Sehyoon’s picture is placed above Miyeon leaving Hye-Jin and Kyungsoo to be the influencers. The list is almost completed when the last two places left move forward.

“Which one is it? I don’t want to know”, Kyungsoo mumbles and peaks the screen behind the pillow he’s holding for dear life. He’s not sure which is worse; to be second or to be the most liked.

So obviously, he hides and squeezes Nini for courage.

He knows the answer and lifts his eyes up to the screen after Baekhyun screeches all around him, making his world shake from the walls to his heart.

Kyungsoo sits at the top of the list, looking down on the other players, adorned with the verified -mark only Influencers can have.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEYYYYY
> 
> 1\. This ain't finishing before the summer ends XDDD I don't know what I was thinking TT ~Sorry I wanted to update this faster but I was busy (was I? —I don't remember what I've been doing) but now I squeezed this out in like 4 days. RIP me
> 
> 2\. What do you think? Any complaints, questions, ideas for improvement?
> 
> 3\. REMEMBER TO SIGN PETITIONS!!!
> 
> 4\. Love you, thank you, see you next time!


	4. EP 4: ASK ME ANYTHING

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kyungsoo revisits embarrassing memories and makes some new ones too.

JONGIN: _I forgot to say this yesterday_

JONGIN: _The decorations you made onto the cake were amazing_

“ _Thanks”,_ Kyungsoo pauses and thinks what to say, “ _Although you praised them enough when you announced me as the winner.”_

_“But your skills deserve all the praises I can give_ ”, Jongin says before he admits, _“And I needed something I can start a conversation with you.”_

The words sink in and Kyungsoo freezes momentarily. Jongin is such a flirt Kyungsoo doesn’t know how to act. He’s not used to this kind of behavior and he’s not sure how serious the younger guy is with him. For him —well, he’s interested as Jongin seems like a good guy.

“ _You can text me whenever you want… Even if you don’t have any real reason to.”_ Kyungsoo decides to be honest as it is the best policy.

_“I’ll remember that well”_ , Jongin answers, “ _I wasn’t kidding though when I said your decorating skills are amazing. How are you so good?”_

_“It’s not something I’m very proud of... I had a phase when I was 14”,_ Kyungsoo frowns and shuts his eyes tight at the cringe-worthy memories, “ _I was the play-dough champion in our school.”_

“Were you really?” Baekhyun asks flabbergasted. “You? At the age of fourteen?!”

“Me. Imagine that.” There was a reason why he didn’t tell Baekhyun earlier when he asked.

Others were into sports but that clearly wasn’t his thing so he decided to something more fitting. He still, to this day, asks himself ‘why play-dough’ knowing very well it couldn’t have been anything else —he can’t deny how much fun it was at the time.

JONGIN: _Well that explains it_

JONGIN: _The dogs were toy poodles right?_

_“You recognized them_?” Kyungsoo is genuinely taken aback. He didn’t know he’s that good.

“ _It’s just that two out of my three dogs are toy poodles —I was a little creeped out.”_ Jongin explains, _“It’s not that they’re rare, but what a coincidence, right?”_

“Aww, your taste in dogs is the same.” Baekhyun coos on the background. “That’s fate.”

KYUNGSOO: _I based the dogs on my toy poodles Meokmul and Huchu_

KYUNGSOO: _And you have two of them too_

KYUNGSOO: _What a coincidence indeed._

“ _That’s so cool!”_ Kyungsoo can imagine Jongin being as amazed as he is. _“I almost had three toy poodles but Monggu ended up being a poodle instead.”_

KYUNGSOO _: I’m not even going to ask how’s that possible_

KYUNGSOO _: Where are they staying now that you’re here?_

All this talk is really making him miss Meokmul and Huchu. It’s not unusual for him to be on a work trip and away from them but they live with him the rest of the time. This is the first time in a while when he has been this long away from them.

JONGIN: _They’re staying at my parents’ as they live mostly with them even outside of the Circle :(_

JONGIN _: I’m with them as much as I can, but it’s not that much_

“Why can’t he be with them?” Baekhyun wonders before Kyungsoo can ask the same question.

“ _It’s because of my job.”_

“I didn’t know that dance teachers had it that tough”, Kyungsoo admits. He thought Jongin teaches kids some hiphop or something. _“What is your job like? I’ve always admired dancers so I’m curious.”_

“ _I train ballet to kids’ groups aged from five to twelve at the Korean National Ballet. I used to dance there when I was younger so that was when I started to leave my dogs with my parents.”_

It takes a second for both Kyungsoo and Baekhyun to collect their jaws from the floor.

“So… it’s not hiphop.”

KYUNGSOO: _That’s impressive. I’m not going to pretend I expected that._

JONGIN: _Haha I get that a lot_

JONGIN _: I dance other styles too so it’s not completely just ballet_

“Correction: It’s not _solely_ hiphop”, Baekhyun muses, “That’s a talented man right there.”

“Yeah, he is.”

JONGIN: _You said that you admire us so maybe I could teach you sometime_

KYUNGSOO _: I don’t think I have the talent to learn via texting TT sorry_

Kyungsoo puts the spaghetti he’s about to boil to the table when he hears the big sigh Baekhyun lets out. “What is it?”

“Kyungsoo! He’s trying to flirt”, the producer sounds like he’s in physical pain.

“He’s not. He thinks I’m a redeemable dancer —which I’m not— and he wants to prove that.”

“ _I was thinking more like face to face dance lessons after this.”_

“Do you hear that? It’s the sound of me being right”, Baekhyun boasts and Kyungsoo resists rolling his eyes.

KYUNGSOO: _I’m not so sure about that…_

The picture of very average Kyungsoo learning to dance with hot dance teacher Jongin is something that could easily turn out embarrassing for him in many ways. Still, the idea is intriguing — _it is_ one-on-one time with Jongin we’re talking about.

Like sensing Kyungsoo’s inner debate the dancer makes an offer, “ _What do you say: if I win the Circle, you’ll dance with me”_

KYUNGSOO: _I say that that’s big promise_

KYUNGSOO: _What if I win?_

There’s a pause and Baekhyun’s nervous breaths are a little bit too much. It’s not that serious.

JONGIN: _What’s your job?_

_“Office job. 9 to 5. Very boring. At the K Group.”_ Kyungsoo has no idea where all that bullshit came from but it’s too late already. He had planned his cover story to the dot but apparently he’s not using that.

“K Group? What the fuck is that?” Kyungsoo understands Baekhyun’s irritation.

“ _If you win you’ll get to teach me whatever you do in your job.”_

KYUNGSOO: _I don’t think that’s fair_

KYUNGSOO _: If I win, you’ll sing a ballad with me_

Most people don’t like singing or are not that good at it, so it’s completely fair. There’s got to be at least some resistance.

When Jongin agrees, rather cheerfully, Kyungsoo is once again surprised by the younger man. Is he that confident in winning the Circle?

OOO

“I don’t care how good that pasta is, let me speak”, Baekhyun begs, “It could be a tactic. It probably is not, but it could be.”

“I don’t get what’s your point”, Kyungsoo swallows the last piece left of his spaghetti and continues, “Whether or not Jongin planned to come to talk to me _because_ I’m an influencer doesn’t matter as _what can I do about it_?”

By far, this is the most annoying thing in the Circle. You can never know if something is just a tactic or not —especially now that he’s an influencer.

“Honestly speaking, I don’t even care. Jongin’s not being threatened as he can’t be blocked and if he’s playing mind games to the point of choosing am I more likely to keep him in the game if he mentions my influencer status or not —then everything we’ve talked about is just a game— which is the worst case scenario.”

He finishes his rant and stands up. This is the end of this conversation.

His plate doesn’t even have time to be placed into the dishwasher when the screen in the corner of the kitchen lights up alongside all the others.

“What now?” Kyungsoo’s still heated from the conversation but all his tension breaks as he sees the notification. “ _Chungha has invited you to a private chat._ ”

“If that’s not fishing for a place to continue, I don’t know what is.” Baekhyun comments as he moves Kyungsoo to the chat.

CHUNGHA _: Hi~_

CHUNGHA _: How’s your day been_ 🤔

Kyungsoo takes a deep breath to prepare himself for this.

KYUNGSOO: _It’s been a little hectic but fine altogether. You?_

CHUNGHA: _After I recovered from the shock of being the last today, I’m doing well_

CHUNGHA: _I don’t want to let the rank define me, this is a good chance get to know others better_ 😊

“ _I think that’s the right spirit. Nothing is set in stone yet.”_ Kyungsoo can understand Chungha to a point. Although it’s painfully obvious she wants to win over his sympathy, there’s not much she has to lose in that situation.

_“But that’s enough about me!”_ Chungha switches the topic, “ _I was interested in you from the very beginning but still, this is the first time we’ve talked privately.”_

“This is a very convenient time to tell me this, Chungha”, Kyungsoo mutters and his producer seems to agree.

KYUNGSOO: _It’s good that we can talk now then_

CHUNGHA: _It is! I’ve been wondering is your photo taken by a professional?_

“She really has a trained eye”, Kyungsoo notices, “Maybe she really is a model.”

“Or someone who works in the field”, Baekhyun adds.

“ _It is. My friend is a photographer and he needed someone to be in the pictures.”_ For once, the story is true. Minseok needed someone to model for him and as his best friend, Kyungsoo agreed to help him. The photos came out good but they were never released for some reason that is still unclear to him.

“ _You look like a professional! Have you considered becoming a model?”_

Yes, he has. _“No, I don’t think I’d be fit for a lifestyle like that.”_

Being on television usually comes hand-in-hand with being photographed for wherever and when he first started becoming famous modeling seemed fun —soon he realized: Maybe not.

_“That’s unfortunate_ 😕 _”_ She writes, “ _You know who to contact if you change your mind_ 😉 “

The conversation ends there when Chungha leaves the chat. Hopefully they both agree that they’re cool with each other but it’s best to leave it at that.

OOO

“So we’re back in this room.” Kyungsoo speaks out, “Just you and me, Nini.”

“And me and Hye-Jin who’s on the other side of the screen”, Jongdae adds.

The call came for him and Hye-Jin to fill their part of being an influencer. Again, it was late enough and Baekhyun had to leave ‘right before the tea’. Normally you’d love some alone time after who knows how many hours of work, but not Baekhyun —he wants more.

The sushi has been served already, just waiting for Kyungsoo to sit down. It’s the date-room, but with different decorations that are as wild as the last ones. The mood is classy and not as sensual as during the date. Kyungsoo lowered the effort he put into his appearance a notch as Baekhyun wasn’t there to encourage him.

The Circle is open already for their decision-making and this time, there’s a chair prepared for Nini.

HYE-JIN: _Hey Kyungsoo_

HYE-JIN: _Big night, tonight_

_“It is. Let’s remember our responsibility and choose wisely.”_ He sits down and places Nini so he can see the screen too. The effort he puts in.

He picks up the chopsticks after learning from his mistake with Jongin.

“ _Should we start by talking about the players?”_ Hye-Jin has done this once already, so Kyungsoo deems it’s best to trust her.

“ _Miyeon?”_ Kyungsoo starts with the most important people.

_“She seems the sweet and sensitive type. I don’t know her well but what I gather, you two are close.”_ Hey-Jin hits the nail with that. Kyungsoo always almost forgets Miyeon was the other influencer last time with Hye-Jin.

“ _That’s right. I’m not blocking her.”_ Kyungsoo thinks it’s fair and square to announce that clearly.

“ _I wasn’t meaning to. What about Sehyoon?”_

Kyungsoo thinks for a second what to say. She mentioned that Sehyoon and she talked, so they’re somewhat close already.

KYUNGSOO: _Sehyoon was my first friend here and I admire his honesty. You’re friends as well, so I guess he’s safe too?”_

HYE-JIN: _I’m glad to hear that._

HYE-JIN: _Yuri?_

“She put me in a tough spot. I don’t know what she thinks of her, so I have to be careful.” Kyungsoo groans and squeezes Nini’s hand, “ _I don’t know her and I have gotten some off-vibes from her, but what I’ve recently heard, she’s straightforward —and I respect that.”_

Hye-Jin’s answer luckily comes quick: _“Yuri; she’s someone I’m not sure what I think about her. If I can, I still would like to keep her in the game.”_

_“If we come into an agreement between Chungha and Jackson, I’m totally fine with keeping Yuri.”_

Although Yuri is not his favorite, she’s on very neutral ground with him.

_“Okay. Do you have anything to say about Chungha or Jackson?”_

_“I have never talked with Jackson personally and with Chungha only once, so I don’t know either one that well. Honestly Chungha seemed nice but it was clear that she was after my favoritism.”_ He has to focus because he really doesn’t know what his thoughts are. _“I’ve heard that Jackson has a player’s reputation and that Chungha has come off as two-faced —which is worse? I don’t know.”_

_“Jackson flirted with all of us, including me who’s taken, which is something I find quite uncomfortable. Chungha is a people pleaser, that’s a fact, but is part of it her personality?”_

There seems to be a underlying consensus. It’s Kyungsoo’s turn to reveal the person who’s being blocked as Hye-Jin did it when she was with Miyeon.

As Jongdae moves him into the Circle Chat, he puts the chopsticks down, finishing right on time.

KYUNGSOO: _Today, me and Hye-Jin made a decision_

KYUNGSOO: _As all of you know, it was our job to choose a player to be blocked_

KYUNGSOO: _We chose this person as there are things that we don’t agree with_

KYUNGSOO _: The player we chose is Jackson_

OOO

“Hey guys, it’s you man, Jackson here!“ Kyungsoo releases the breath he’s holding when the profile photo and the video in front of him match, “I’m who I said I’d be! Last night, I met with one of the ladies, who’s as gorgeous in real life as in her photo. I was told that my naturally out-going and flirty personality caused me some trouble, which probably lead me being blocked. So one thing I learned here —be clear of your intentions! My time is up, but good luck to y’all and let the best player win!”

“I don’t know why I was relieved after knowing he’s not a catfish”, Kyungsoo breathes in and changes his position, “And I think that the person he met is not a catfish either.”

He breathes in and lets it out, controlled. He finally decided to use the workout room the Circle provides for the players and is currently trying to do Pilates —the video kind of disturbed his workout.

“Who did he meet?” His focus is on tightening his core, so his words come out separately, “Miyeon, Hye-Jin, Chungha or Yuri.”

Yesterday evening he feared that he would be visited as he’s one of the two players who blocked Jackson. Now he realizes that would’ve been very unlikely.

“Hye-Jin was an influencer and he said that he had a hunch why he was blocked… conclusion: could’ve been her.” He rolls over and gets into the next position, “That reasoning could fit with all the girls as they all knew about his behavior.”

“Conclusion: what does your gut say?” Baekhyun hops in.

“I think it’s either Hye-Jin or Chungha. Hye-Jin was an influencer and Chungha was close to him.”

Kyungsoo weirdly hopes it would be Chungha —although it would mean his original assumptions were wrong. If two out of two people who have been blocked had visited Hye-Jin it would be… unfair? Why is he even jealous?

He thanks the lord they didn’t need to write statuses this morning. He doesn’t even want to know what he would have written. The whole morning was a big mess on Kyungsoo’s part. Nothing went like it should.

If he would be _that kind_ of a person, he'd say his hormones were all over the place.

His hands tremble as he breathes in the final time before collapsing on the floor.

The circle decides to wake up at that exact moment and offer him a new app, “Circle, open app called ‘ _Ask Me Anything_ ’.” Hopefully this game will bring a positive twist to his day.

“ _This is your chance to send one Player a question without them knowing it’s from you.”_ This is the tea Baekhyun keeps bringing up. “ _You will be in anonymous mode and can ask one Player a question in the Circle Chat.”_

The Circle chat opens and he waits.

_“My question goes for @Kyungsoo”,_ Kyungsoo reads the anonymous message, “ _Do you play with your heart or your brains?”_

“I feel attacked. Was I really that suspicious? And to who?”

KYUNGSOO: _I admit going into this with my brains but after Lucas left, I realized I need to use my heart_

YURI: _Are you saying you’re playing?_

“Does she get that she’s not in anonymous mode?” Kyungsoo asks.

SEHYOON: _We’re all playing —whatever it means to you individually. The Circle is a game._

“ _Just like Sehyoon said. I’m playing but I don’t use tactics”,_ Kyungsoo tries to explain the best he can. He now follows his heart and tries to take everything at a face value, but he has to keep in mind that it’s not that simple.

The next question goes to Miyeon: _Is it hard, keeping up with the nice and innocent act?._

_“_ I don’t like the way that sounds”, Kyungsoo mutters as he stretches his arms out.

“ _I grew up with a lot of great people who took care of me, taught me kindness and shielded me from the world when it was harsh. Those people are like my brothers and they shaped me into who I’m today. Zero acting._ ✨✨ _”_ Miyeon’s answer shows her inner strength that has been hidden before.

“She knows who she is and she’s proud; this side of her makes me like her even more”, Kyungsoo switches onto stretching his neck while smiling.

KYUNGSOO: _Your words come straight from your heart and we can all hear it. You really respect the people around you and are not afraid to show it. That’s something I admire._

CHUNGHA: _0% lies, 100% facts_ 💕

JONGIN _: Valuing yourself and being proud of where you come from are truly signs of a strong person, and that’s what you’re Miyeon!_ 🤩

“Jongin is actually so sweet”, Kyungsoo sighs, “and smart.”

“Is that heart eyes I’m seeing, Kyungsoo?” Baekhyun teases, but at Kyungsoo’s annoyed glance at the cameras he winces, “Not the cameras, please!”

“ _@Yuri how much is really real and how much is bullshit you make up_?” Kyungsoo reads the next one without answering the producer.

The answer comes immediately: _Mostly everything is real._

“Mostly everything? Does she really get this game?”

HYE-JIN: _Do you want to elaborate?_

YURI _: Some things side the truth and some may be exaggerated, but most is true_

CHUNGHA _: Examples?_ 😯😯

YURI _: There’s too many. Just things_ 🤷🏽♀️

“Am I reading right?” Kyungsoo sits back and tries to understand, “She’s exposing herself as a catfish? Why?”

MIYEON: _Why are you telling this now?_ 🤔

YURI: _I wanted to answer honestly, it’s not that big of a deal_

“Can we move on? I don’t think I have the brain capacity to handle this plot twist.”

The screen changes and shows he’s in an anonymous mode now.

“ _My question is for @Chungha”,_ he sends the message and makes sure he’s not revealed, “ _Is people pleasing a hobby for you, or a full-time job?”_

His conversation with Hye-Jin made him think how much is being liked by others is a strategy for Chungha and how much of it is real. Although the question may seem rude, he didn’t mean it that way.

CHUNGHA: _LMAO it’s a full time job, trust me!_ 😂😂

CHUNGHA: _On a more serious note, as a model the more people like you the more likely are you to land a job. It has shaped my personality some but I can honestly say I have behaved like an ass-licker purposefully_

“I can see that happening. The entertainment industry, sadly, works like that”, Kyungsoo nods, “She spoke her truth which is something I didn’t see coming.”

HYE-JIN: _Have you been like that here too?_

CHUNGHA _: Yes, here too. It may not have been wise but I can admit my mistakes and own up to them._ 🙄

JONGIN _: Once again, explaining things helps others understand, thank you_

“Why didn’t Jongin comment anything on my answer?” Kyungsoo is slightly put off and even he can admit that.

The chat clears again as the next question is revealed. The short and simple question is to Sehyoon.

“ _Who are your allies?_ ”

“I’m shocked something like this hasn’t been asked yet. It’s the key point of the Circle; having people like and trust you, to have friends equals having allies.” Baekhyun inserts his professional opinion once again.

_“I can’t categorize people into allies, but I can tell you that Hye-Jin, Kyungsoo and Miyeon are the ones I’ve talked the most to”,_ is Sehyoon’s answer. It’s honest but doesn’t really reveal anything concrete.

“He’s also speaking about the people he considers closer than others as we’ve talked twice —if I’m right— outside games and public chats. That’s not a lot.”

Kyungsoo crosses his legs and rubs his numb knees. The sweat is starting to seriously dry but he’s stuck in the Pilates room until this game ends. If he’s counting right, there’s left only two questions unless there are more rounds.

He’ll scream if there is.

“You were so sad about Jongin not commenting to you, but Sehyoon got none. Hypocrite much?” Baekhyun points out.

“But Jongin is”, he has to think carefully what he’s going to say, “…special.”

Kyungsoo is saved by the Circle as a new question pops up for Hye-Jin as Baekhyun can’t talk back.

_“Did you get any visitors last night?”_ That’s actually a good question. Props to whoever made it.

_“I wish… I think all of us can relate”_ Hye-Jin starts, _“I bet all of you know by now that the only visitor I got was Lucas. News travel fast here.”_

YURI: _Girl don’t even mention it —we can relate_ 😭😭

CHUNGHA: _I’m the one he visited_ 🙈🙈

CHUNGHA: _This would come up sooner or later so why not tell it straight?_ 😌

SEHYOON: _So you were as gorgeous as in your picture?_

MIYEON: _Is there more to this?_ 😉😉

“I bet Miyeon is making this the unfinished love story of the century.” Kyungsoo sighs, “Mark my words.”

CHUNGHA: _I guess I am lol but no, we just talked some, hugged and he left_

CHUNGHA: _And before you say anything, the hug wasn’t like that!_

For the last time, the screen is cleared of the previous conversation and if everyone has asked from a different person, it’s Jongin’s time to answer. Kyungsoo really hopes he’ll get to know something new about Jongin.

_“My question goes to @Jongin”,_ Kyungsoo lets out a loud yes after reading the screen, “ _What is Kyungsoo to you?_ ”

“WHO ASKED THAT?!” This is a level 100 emergency.

Kyungsoo’s already cooled-down face burns up again and he tries his best to cover it with his hands. This is so going to be aired.

It’s not much what he can read between his fingers so he has to put them down enough to read the screen.

_“To me, Kyungsoo is someone who caught my eyes from the beginning”,_ Kyungsoo read out loud, “I can’t read further! I’m so embarrassed, how can he say things like that?”

“Do you want me to read it?” Despite Kyungsoo’s shake of a head from the floor Baekhyun continues anyway, “ _Our similarities continue to surprise me as much as all of his sides I discover. He’s honest but he makes me laugh —sometimes at my own expense— in a way no one has in a while. To me, Kyungsoo is very special.”_

Afterwards Kyungsoo regrets the gurgling noises he lets out while laying on the floor, making him resemble a frog —realizing that Jongin will most likely see it one day.

To his luck, he misses all the comments that are made before an alert rings in the room.

Kyungsoo is embarrassed and sweaty with face full of marks from the yoga mat, so he’s not ready to know that Yongguk, _a new player,_ has been snooping on their entire game. Including the very end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!
> 
> I can't tell you how flabbergasted I am right now. It hasn't been an eternity since I last posted and I wrote this in A DAY, like how the ??
> 
> Otherwise, I don't have much to say only if you have anything you want to tell me, please do (like if something doesn't make sense etc.) I'll happily take any criticism you have! 
> 
> Jongin and Soo are moving forward YAY and we're able get to know the characters better! OMG I just realized one third of the story has passed —internal crisis— yay?
> 
> I know I'm not making any sense so I'll go eat something and then sleep!
> 
> Love you, stay safe and thank you for reading!


	5. EP 5: VISUAL AID

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kyungsoo just tries to survive

“So… as he’s thirty, he’s now the oldest of us?”

“You were the oldest and he’s older than you”, Baekhyun teases him, “With quick math, _yes_ , he’s the oldest.”

“He is single —as expected.” Kyungsoo maneuvers himself up so he can stretch his legs. His Pilates workout session is approximately an hour longer than what he expected when he started it. He’s about 100% ready to shower.

_“Life is like a piano. The white keys represent happiness. The black keys represent sadness. But as you go through life, remember that the black keys make music too”,_ Yongguk’s bio is very satisfying in a weird sense. It’s a very simple text with a deep meaning. The symbolism between life and music is borderline poetic and he hasn’t used any emojis or other ‘unnecessary’ stuff.

Kyungsoo tried to avoid looking at Yongguk’s profile picture as much as he could during the profile inspection as he had a feeling it’s going to be like a cherry on top.

“Black and white pictures hit different.” Especially if the person pictured is attractive —like in Yongguk’s case.

“He has longish hair, tattoos _and_ nail polish? King behavior.” Baekhyun is right. Choosing a picture like that is a risky but unapologetic move.

In the profile photo Yongguk is covering half of his face with his hand while leaning forward, showcasing the inside of his shirt as well as his chest tattoos and stomach. The white collared shirt is nowhere near buttoned up and it’s accompanied with black suspenders. Like Baekhyun said, Yongguk has black hair that can be considered long as it’s past his eyes. The aura that the picture carries is very confident, chill and manly.

Although the rest of the profile and the picture could easily be a mismatch with the difference in styles —they still go well together.

“He does look like he’s thirty and I don’t want to be that person asking why isn’t he dating”, Kyungsoo concludes, “The bio is very straightforward and mature and I feel like this Yongguk in the picture is exactly that.”

Yongguk on the screen stares back at Kyungsoo with equal intensity Kyungsoo offers him.

“The more I look at him, the more attractive he gets.” Kyungsoo has to admit it sooner or later.

“What about Jongin?” The producer asks. “Don’t you already have him?”

“And you have Chanyeol waiting for you to finish work but is that stopping you from drooling?” Kyungsoo can almost hear the saliva dripping. “I can appreciate good-looking people with a clean conscience.”

“Touché.”

Kyungsoo grabs his water bottle and drinks in big gulps. He finally can head back to his apartment to shower the sweat and dirt from the floor off.

“Kyungsoo don’t scream.” Baekhyun begs a second before an alert rings for the millionth time.

Kyungsoo’s self-control is really put on a test as he resists throwing the bottle to the nearest wall. With quick reasoning, it’s not worth the bad publicity it would cause so he takes a calming breath and relaxes his tense muscles just to turn back around to face the blue screen with the oh-so-familiar notification.

“I swear Baekhyun”, Kyungsoo starts slow as he tries to straighten the frown on his forehead with his fingertips, “I swear, if I can’t get out of here after this…”

It’s an empty threat. What’s there for him to do? Stop playing? Not going to happen because he doesn’t want to get sued by the biggest companies in South Korea.

“I promise I’ll do everything I can to give you a break after this.” For once, Baekhyun sounds dead-serious with his words.

Kyungsoo resorts to nodding —the producer may be annoying but he’s a good guy with some sense in his head, luckily.

“ _You must rank your fellow Players from favorite to least favorite”,_ Kyungsoo reads the notification for the third time since the game begun, feeling suddenly thankful for getting this far. “ _As a new Player, Yongguk can rate other Players but cannot be rated.”_

“Let’s begin.” Kyungsoo doesn’t know why he suddenly feels so sentimental —he has many friends who he trusts to save him. “I’m tired and hungry, so let’s get this over with.”

The six faces of his co-players are neatly on the right side of the screen in an alphabetical order, waiting to be rated by him.

“Yuri will take the sixth place as she brought distrust within us towards her with her revelations. I’m sure I’m not the only one thinking that.” Kyungsoo explains as her photo moves to the center and shows the placement Kyungsoo gave her.

“You’re doing this in reverse?” Baekhyun asks, being confused by the sudden change.

“I’m doing this without any order today.” Kyungsoo breathes in and closes his eyes for a second. He has made his decision. “Jongin gets the first place. He’s newer than the others, needing a high rank for protection”, he’s being more vulnerable than he’d like, “I’d hate to see him leave before- before something can happen.”

He shakes his head to clear his thoughts. Fast and efficient is his strategy.

“Hye-Jin will take the fourth place.” The choice is obvious. Miyeon and Sehyoon are above her and Chungha below. “She’s close to me and I really respect her, but she’s yet to achieve something more with me.”

Now that he thinks, Hye-Jin and Yongguk seem like they’d get along as they’re very similar in a sense.

“The fifth place goes to Chungha. She has showed new sides to her and admitted her flaws, but I still don’t know much about her. Although it’s second to last place, I view her as a nice person.”

Her photo turns to show the 5th place and returns to the right side. There’s only Sehyoon and Miyeon left.

“These two… they’re important to me in very different ways so I have trouble deciding who comes second and who third.” Kyungsoo sighs, “Sehyoon deserves to be an influencer as he hasn’t been one yet, but Miyeon impressed me when she stood up for herself and told us about her upbringing.”

“Take your time, you don’t need to hurry”, Baekhyun steps in as Kyungsoo tries to come into conclusion.

“I want this to be over already.” Ranking your friends is fucked up no matter how you look at it, “Please, put Miyeon in the second place and Sehyoon to the third place.”

Sehyoon is less talkative than Miyeon in their conversations —which is something he shouldn’t be judged for, but today it’s what made Kyungsoo decide. For now, she has told more about herself than Sehyoon or Kyungsoo for fairness.

The purple-ish rating-view flashes into light blue notification _Ratings complete!_ and Kyungsoo once again bends down to get his stuff.

“What was that Jongin-thing just now?” Baekhyun’s voice conveys the mischief that must be in his eyes when he asks the question, “Is our Kyungsoo catching _feelings_?”

Kyungsoo pauses at the door, hand ready to push the handle down. He leans his forehead against the door, suddenly feeling tired of everything —the Circle, Jongin, Baekhyun and himself.

“I-“ he whispers, “I think I like him.”

In the silence that follows his words, Kyungsoo breathes in and out and raises his head. He walks out of the room and leaves everything that went down in that room behind him.

OOO

Browsing through the photo albums take Kyungsoo back to his first day at the Circle. He didn’t think he was nervous then, but looking back, he was. Everything was so different and unusual. He didn’t know what to expect and how to behave. He was so prepared with that notebook of his —that has now been stored somewhere where the sun doesn’t shine.

“You remember the time I tried to sensor my cursing?” Kyungsoo speaks up suddenly as he thinks what picture to choose as his second profile picture.

“And I was your influencer and influenced you to stop trying?” Baekhyun laughs lightly, “Yeah, I remember. It hasn’t been a week since.”

His words prompt the younger to stop. Indeed, it has been only a few days that feel like a week each. It makes Kyungsoo smile sadly, being conflicted by his emotions.

“It makes me sad to think that this too, is going to end soon. I’m not ready for the bubble to pop but I can’t wait to be free to do anything I want anytime I want.”

Having only limited interactions with other people make it faster for the illusion of being close grow, making it harder to differentiate what’s real.

“I’ll allow that kind of talk when you’re in the finale”, Baekhyun stops his train of thoughts.

“ _If_ I get to the finale”, Kyungsoo specifies, “Before that, I’ll have to pick the photo.”

He leans against the chair and pushes his dishes further on the table. He has looked through all of his seven albums once now. Although putting a picture with his dogs would be cute, none of the pictures have Kyungsoo looking presentable enough. He wouldn’t have a problem otherwise but a certain someone is going to see —and judge— it.

“Circle, open my album ‘Staying Warm’”, Kyungsoo instructs.

“You really don’t have a gift for naming things, I see”, Baekhyun sighs, “I don’t know what I expected from someone who named his dogs based on their colors.”

“They’re easy to differentiate! It’s efficient”, Kyungsoo defends himself although this isn’t the first time he has heard the complaint. Baekhyun probably rolls his eyes at that.

“Moving on”, he changes the topic. There’s five photos displayed, each of them taken during winter or spring —when it’s cold. “The ones on the left I abandon right off the bat because I’d just get called cute.”

“What’s wrong with that? You’re unexpectedly cute”, Baekhyun points out the obvious.

Kyungsoo pushes his glasses higher on his warm cheeks, “I’m not cute.” It’s not that hard to understand.

The picture in the middle of the screen would be perfect if he didn’t look so surprised in it. He was heading home with Minseok when the photographer suddenly whipped around and took a photo of him buried inside his North Face winter coat.

“In the picture on the right lower corner I look very rude and cold”, he also is wearing a white coat and a orange beanie to hide his buzz cut, which is way too colorful for his usual style, “So I’m left with the picture on the upper right.”

It’s again of his side profile, this time of the left side as he’s crouching down in his plaided jacket. It’s behind the scenes photo of one of the shows he was a guest on recently so his hair matches his current hairstyle better than the other photo.

“I look less serious in this as I’m not posing”, Kyungsoo evaluates his two profile photos side by side, “I guess you could say I look more warm and approachable in the new photo —which is good. Circle, save my profile.”

“Dare I say it, you look cuter in the new photo”, Baekhyun teases but Kyungsoo can’t deny it.

He puts the dishes into the dishwasher before starting it. There’s not many choices what to do as he waits for the other Players to make their decisions. He eventually returns to the puzzle he has procrastinated to finish on the coffee table.

It’s nearly done, just some pieces of grass left so he sits down and moves Nini from the couch onto the floor before him so he can lean onto it while working. The screen changes and the profiles show up.

“Open Yongguk’s profile”, he orders and wills himself to wait although he’s dying to see Jongin’s profile, “He seems a lot more relaxed in this photo. It’s almost as if he’s younger —you know, he looks like the definition of boyfriend material.”

Yongguk is laying down, leaning onto his hand being fully clothed this time. He’s not looking into the camera, but it looks like that’s the point —to show off his coolness. It’s a new side to him, but it’s not unfitting.

“Let’s move on to Yuri because I don’t have anything to say about Yongguk”, Kyungsoo finds a place for a piece as he speaks, “I know I should try to get to know him but I just can’t make myself do it.”

Kyungsoo glances up to the screen to notice Baekhyun already moved him. At the same glance he registers Yuri’s second profile photo and focuses back to the puzzle.

“I don’t think Yuri looks like that.” The smiling woman in the picture has similar hair as in the previous picture and she’s wearing a blue knitted sweater. She looks sweeter and more innocent than the Yuri in the first photo. “It’s like two different people. Of course the first photo is not at the same angle but the faces have a different bone structure, not to mention the horrific amount of face tune the new photo has gone through.”

Once again a piece fits into a place and he has filled one of the three missing areas. Nini blocks him from seeing half of the pieces but he’s too comfortable to move him away. He feels a budding headache coming and he sighs, “Uh… Sehyoon next, please?”

There’s no longer any sense to the order he’s looking these through, only putting Jongin off so he wont quit in middle of this —he’s basically the only reason Kyungsoo isn’t crawling into his bed currently.

Sehyoon’s photo is a mirror selfie but it’s 0% cringey. He’s glad in black from his beanie to his shoes, the only pops of color being his rainbow socks and the tiger pattern on his fanny pack.

“He looks younger and more stylish in this photo. In his profile photo he’s very mediocre but in this he’s madly attractive just because his attitude is different.” He trusts Sehyoon’s realness 100% and is actually happy to know the other man has this kind of a side to him as well.

“You do be speaking facts.”

“Thanks, Byun.” Kyungsoo smiles lightly as he tries to fit one of the pieces everywhere but it just doesn’t go anywhere. He tries to squint to see the individual blades of grass but his tries are in vain and end up causing his headache to worsen. “Surprise me with the next one.”

Kyungsoo believes Baekhyun has caught onto his attempts to save Jongin to the last so he’s not worried of getting his surprise spoiled.

“Oh”, Kyungsoo is momentarily taken aback, “Hello ms. Chungha. I see you’re showing us another side of you.”

She’s now platinum blonde in a cropped t-shirt with white jeans. By the looks of it, she’s performing but for what —Kyungsoo doesn’t know. The pose is too everything to be done on a runway. The photo has been taken diagonally to her and she’s looking forward over her shoulder rather intensely.

“Her expression is very seductive but focused on whatever she’s doing. The stage lights lit her face up, making it look like she’s glowing. Although the aura very different between the photos and her hair is different, she has the same features —unlike someone we know.”

His eyes jump between the pictures to make sure he didn’t miss anything. She has duality, he’ll give her that.

“Let’s see Hye-Jin’s next.” He asks and gives up on the piece he was holding the entire time before picking up another one. “She looks amazing! Her hair is so gorgeous and it’s so different to see her in full glam makeup.”

Her newest photo is of her all dolled up but still in casual clothing. Her eyes are clued to the camera and her face has the tiniest hint of a smile. It’s not taken by her as she’s so far away and the angle is making it look like she’s on a stage too.

“The first photo was simple and unapologetic but this is more about showing off her beauty and gentle side. No complaints. Five stars, very good for her profile. Next!” Kyungsoo jokingly demands as he fulfills the second to last hole in the puzzle. He has four pieces left and he’s confident he’ll place them on Miyeon’s turn before it’s Jongin’s.

“Who?” Kyungsoo’s words fail for a second as he looks up, “Jongin? What about Miyeon?”

“What about her?” Baekhyun asks, seemingly confused.

“You were supposed to show Jongin as the last one”, Kyungsoo jams a piece into the puzzle before continuing, “Right?”

“Uhm… You didn’t say anything about that to me”, Baekhyun tries to calm Kyungsoo down and watches him complete the puzzle, “I probably missed you saying that, I’m sorry.”

Kyungsoo shakes his head from where he burrowed it into Nini’s head. “No, I didn’t say anything so you didn’t do anything wrong. I’m just feeling a little unwell and am taking it out on you. Sorry.”

“It’s okay”, Baekhyun hums sympathetically, “Let’s get you some pain killers after this and move to the bed?”

Kyungsoo smiles thankfully and pulls his sleeves over his freezing fingers just to wrap his arms around Nini for warmth. “So Jongin… Now I get to see his full face. It’s the same person —I don’t know what would’ve I done if it wasn’t.”

To start off, the photo is perfect. From the soft but warm lighting to the background of the photo —that is breath-taking orange sky with blue skyline. Jongin is in complete focus with his grey hair that is side parted to reveal his left eyebrow and eye. He’s wearing a black shirt under a dark blue denim jacket. He has few silver necklaces hanging on his tilted neck, accompanied with thick silver earrings. The photo is on professional level even to Kyungsoo’s untrained eye.

“His face… it’s sharp and edgy but in a very pretty way. He almost looks androgynous,” Kyungsoo describes, “and the expression he has is nearly sensual but not over-confident. Comparing the last photo and this one, this is more serious. Although I love the aesthetic of this picture, I prefer the original profile photo.”

Talking is really hurting his brains so he gestures Baekhyun to change into the last profile even though he would’ve liked to stare at Jongin a little longer.

“This Miyeon matches with the one we met today in the Ask Me Anything -game”, Kyungsoo resorts to saying when he doesn’t come up with anything else sensible.

Miyeon is situated in a café with a pillow on her lap and she’s leaning her head on her hands that are supported by the pillow. The two-piece dress she’s wearing is gray with plaids. Her brown locks are almost identical to the last picture and she has a subtle smile on her face, making the mood more serious. What’s surprising is the amount of skin in the photo includes.

“Her face has the same innocence as her profile photo, but she’s sexier in this one, revealing a new side to her without forgetting to back up her other personality traits as well. I can see her being able to stand up for herself and know her worth because she has showed us she can be serious too.” Kyungsoo finishes his analysis on all the profiles and struggles himself onto his feet, dragging Nini with him.

“Go get some rest Kyungsoo, I’ll send someone to take care of you”, Baekhyun ushers and aggressive typing can be heard before it stops, “Hope this helps.”

Kyungsoo’s head is somewhere between the pillows when the lights go unexpectedly out from his apartment —something that’s not supposed to happen in any case to ensure the best video material.

OOO

“Kyungsoo”, Jongdae whispers hesitantly, “Are you awake?”

Kyungsoo stretches his numb limbs and groans something inaudible between the covers. The day has turned into a night by the darkness behind his window. He squints to look around in the dark room but without his glasses it’s futile to try and see anything.

When Jongdae doesn’t say anything he mumbles, “I feel disgusting.” The sheets around Kyungsoo are sticking onto him and making it harder to reach the night table.

“Do I accept the chat invite or do you want to pass?” Jongdae prompts as Kyungsoo’s view comes into focus. The screen on the wall opposite to him is the only source of light as there’s notification for him to respond, “And three, two, one-“

Kyungsoo is about to ask what is he counting when the studio-lights on the ceiling wake up from their nap. He’s momentarily thrown into blindness and he’s pretty sure he resembles a raisin more than a human.

“Accept it. Who is it with?”

“Sehyoon and Miyeon”, Jongdae opens the chat room, “How are you feeling? I heard what happened from Baekhyun.”

“ _What’s up?”_ Kyungsoo starts the conversation, “Much better. I haven’t checked after Yixing took my temperature but I feel like my fever went down thanks to sleep and medicine.”

“That’s good —take it easy still? You still need to be in a shape to play the game.” Jongdae reminds him.

SEHYOON: _I wish I knew... @MIYEON keeps making these chats_

MIYEON _: What do you think about the new photos and our new player?_

_“Have you talked to Yongguk already?”_ Kyungsoo is not sure if he’s doing something wrong by staying with the people closest to him; should he want to be friends with everybody?, “I didn’t miss anything, right?”

MIYEON: _Yongguk invited us girls to chat with him just now_ 😶

“Most likely the other players talked between themselves as nothing official happened”, Jongdae reassures him.

SEHYOON: _You girls sure talk often_

KYUNGSOO: _@SEHYOON we should step our game up_

“Honestly, I feel like I’m in a such secure situation I don’t need to talk to Yongguk, Chungha or Yuri”, Kyungsoo props himself against the headboard, “Still it makes me uneasy when I know that others talk —without me.”

MIYEON: _lolol no worries it’s girl talk 9/10 times_ 🤣🤣

MIYEON: _Nothing you need to hear_ 😉

“FOMO it is”, Jongdae decides for Kyungsoo, “Although if I was you, I’d listen to that feeling.”

“You aren’t me though?”

SEHYOON: _Point taken_

KYUNGSOO: _Love this topic but how was Yongguk?_

“I get that you have Miyeon and Sehyoon as your closest friends, good friendship with Hye-Jin and Jongin as your bae,” Jongdae starts, “but the Circle isn’t black and white with ‘alliances’. If the other players are being honest, they play with their hearts —meaning that the dynamics change just like in real life. One conversation can make you change your views drastically to both directions.”

SEHYOON: _I’m curious too_

SEHYOON: _He seems suuuper cool based on his profile_

Kyungsoo gets what Jongdae is trying to explain as he has thought about it more than once. Only if he was a little bit more of a people-person so the thought of trying to socialize with the rest wouldn’t be as unnerving.

MIYEON: _TBH he was kinda weird_ 😬

MIYEON: _I can’t explain it well, but he was flirty at first and Chungha and Yuri were both into it_

MIYEON: _But then he steadily grew detached from the conversation and dare I say, emotionless?_

“I’ll try to talk to the others tomorrow-“ Kyungsoo pauses and decides against it, “-when I feel like it.”

SEHYOON: _Not very cool_

KYUNGSOO: _Okay… he was also at an advantage because he got to see us play AMA_

SEHYOON: _Right? Normally you’d have a better conversation when you have extra information_

MIYEON: _My thoughts exactly_ 😕

_“_ I don’t even know what I should think about this whole Yongguk ordeal”, Kyungsoo thinks out loud now that the night-time producer gave up on pestering him, “Definitely suspicious —but I have never talked to him— so what do I know?”

SEHYOON: _We have been deceived by his pictures_

SEHYOON _: Speaking of pictures, you both look good in your new ones!_

KYUNGSOO: _Same to you —it’s you who looks cool— and Miyeon you’re beautiful_

“I still can’t get over Sehyoon’s photo especially”, Kyungsoo tells to Nini beside him, “His attitude? The outfit? Where was he hiding all that?”

MIYEON: _I’m blushing !!_ 😳☺️

MIYEON: _Your photos showed new sides to you two AND I’M LOVING IT_ 💕

_“Can we talk about Chungha’s though?_ ” Kyungsoo asks as Miyeon probably knows something, “ _I feel like she’s performing something.”_

MIYEON: _YES! She truly is a model, a role model_ 🤩

SEHYOON _: What? Why suddenly?_

SEHYOON _: She looked great too, I have to give her that_

MIYEON _: It’s a photo of her dancing at a charity event! She’s an angel_ 😇

“ _That’s interesting —I never knew she did something like that”,_ Kyungsoo comments.

“And why do you think that is?” Jongdae speaks up sarcastically but Kyungsoo ignores the jab.

MIYEON: _What do you think about Yuri’s photos?_

SEHYOON: _It’s… very different from her profile picture_

Kyungsoo is surprised that Miyeon is asking them but answers honestly anyway, “ _It’s a cute photo, I just don’t recognize her.”_

SEHYOON _: @KYUNGSOO basically my thoughts_

MIYEON: _So we all agree?_ 😧

SEHYOON: _She’s fishy especially now, after her answers on AMA_

_“I don’t trust her either”,_ Kyungsoo agrees, “ _From the start I wasn’t feeling her energy.”_

MIYEON: _I liked her to an extent_

MIYEON: _But not anymore, she’s too_ 🐟

“I hope Yuri will get blocked next.” Kyungsoo prays he won’t get evil-edited with everything he has said, “We can’t be the only ones that don’t believe in her.”

SEHYOON: _Enough of her now, let’s move on_

MIYEON: _Yeah, to Kyungsoo’s dearest_ 😚

Kyungsoo can already know what’s going to happen and dread starts to fill him to the point that he wants to hide under the covers again and sleep the conversation away.

SEHYOON: _Jongin_

MIYEON: J❤️O🧡N💛G💚I💙N💜

“ _What about him?”_ He still can’t get over how humiliating it was to be described like that in front of the whole world.

SEHYOON: _The new photo?_

KYUNGSOO _: He looked good. He’s pretty handsome_

MIYEON: _Or pretty AND handsome_ 🍱

SEHYOON: _That was a good one_

_“He’s good looking, then what?”_ Kyungsoo is not the best person when it comes to speaking about feelings, “ _Can we move on?”_

MIYEON: _Of course!_

MIYEON: _What did you think about my question?_ 😝

Kyungsoo has to think for a moment, “But I don’t know wh- Oh how dare she?”

KYUNGSOO: _MIYEON?! IT WAS YOU WHO ASKED **THAT** FROM JONGIN? WHY WOULD YOU_

He never bothered to think with his fever brain who was responsible for his suffering and now it turns out like this. It makes sense though —no matter Kyungsoo denies. Nobody else is that curious and willing to let go of their golden opportunity just to ask something so irrelevant to the game.

MIYEON: _Yeah… it said to ask **anything** and I bet it cleared the air for many of us on what’s going on _👁👉🏼👈🏼👁

KYUNGSOO _: But still_

SEHYOON: _She clearly meant well and honestly, quite iconic_

MIYEON: _Yeah I just wanted to help so I’m sorry if it bothered you_ 😖

_“_ How could I be angry at her?” Kyungsoo slithers down on the bed until his face only peeks out, “She’s right. It helped me to know what he thinks although some other way would’ve been a better way to know.”

KYUNGSOO: _No you don’t have to apologize_

KYUNGSOO: _Just tell everyone it was you who asked it so they won’t think I’m that desperate_

MIYEON _: Of course!_

SEHYOON: _The real question is: would you be that desperate for him?_

“ _No_ ”, Kyungsoo is about to send his answer when Jongdae coughs a cough that sounds a lot like ‘be honest’, “ _Not yet_.”

MIYEON: _AAAAAAAHHH That’s so cute_ 💕🥰💋🧚🏼♀️💍🌸✨🎀

SEHYOON: _What’s going on between you? We know about the date but after that_

MIYEON _: What do you feel for him?_

“I don’t want to answer to them”, Kyungsoo whines. He’s feeling hotter once again and he’s blaming the stress of this conversation for it.

“Kyungsoo, I think we all are just waiting for you to say it out loud”, Jongdae courages him, “Don’t think Baekhyun missed the chance when you slept to spill everything that Jongin, and more importantly, you said.”

Kyungsoo knows this and he realizes he’s a full adult and should be capable of speaking about his emotions without throwing tantrums. Admitting defeat, he sighs and tries to gather his thoughts.

“ _I don’t know what’s this between us —it’s only been few days so it’s not anything super serious— but it’s something and I hope we both agree on that.”_ He answers the first question, “ _We have talked once after the date one-on-one and interacted in AMA.”_

Kyungsoo let’s his words sink in and waits to see if they have anything to say. As it seems they’re waiting for him to answer Miyeon’s question he continues.

“Because it’s embarrassing I won’t do this in Jongin-style”, he makes clear, “ _I am attracted to him. A lot, and I don’t mean that only with his looks. He’s really an amazing person and I can guarantee you’d get along with him too. He has become special to me too.”_

_“_ ‘I won’t do it in Jongin-style’”, Jongdae mocks him and Kyungsoo can’t argue. When did he become this sappy?

SEHYOON: _He is! We talked for a bit and we do get along really well_

MIYEON: _Is it too early to say that you like him or ?_ 🤔

MIYEON: _Now I want to talk to him too!_

He doesn’t have that much time to analyze the fact that Jongin and Sehyoon are friends when Miyeon’s latest message appears on the screen.

Kyungsoo’s cheeks are burning up from his rising temperature but they look extra pink against the white sheets when he reluctantly answers almost a whole minute later, “ _Yes, I like him.”_

Both Miyeon and Sehyoon cheer for him on the screen and Jongdae joins them, around him. It makes him happy that they’re that invested in his emotional roller coaster, not only with him but for him and _his_ happiness. Baekhyun would’ve loved to be part of the moment.

MIYEON: _I have an idea!_

“As much as I adore her, I don’t fully trust her ideas.”

MIYEON: _I’ll invite Jongin to join our conversation so you can bond more and I’ll get to know him too_ 🥳🥳

Neither Kyungsoo nor Sehyoon can say a word in between when the Circle first notifies that Jongin has been invited to the chat and then notifies them that Jongin has joined. As a cherry on top the Circle adds that Miyeon has changed the group name from 🐰🤖🐧 to 🐰🤖🐧🧸.

MIYEON: _Hi Jongin! We invited you to chat with us so we’d get to know each other better!_ ✨✨

JONGIN: _Thanks, what have you been chatting about?_

Kyungsoo senses a danger of being exposed so he steps in, “ _Nothing much. The new photos and Yongguk mainly.”_

SEHYOON: _And the question you got in AMA_

MIYEON: _Which I sent by the way!_ 🙋🏽♀️

Kyungsoo has to smile at Miyeon’s response; she’s keeping her promise diligently —although he doesn’t like the direction the conversation is heading.

JONGIN: _So it was you? I feel like I should thank you_ 😂

JONGIN: _It came straight from the heart, Kyungsoo_

“With all due respect, you’re not good for _my_ heart”, Kyungsoo groans. The heat on his forehead is starting to make him feel uneasy again and he tries to climb out of the bed, “Jongdae, if there’s something planned for tonight, I suggest to have it asap as my fever is rising agin.”

KYUNGSOO: _I could feel that and I’m honored_

KYUNGSOO: _But VERY embarrassed so please refrain from saying things like that publicly for a moment TT_

He uses the walls for support as he moves to the kitchen. He needs to drink and eat before he can go back to sleep again.

“There’s one thing so while it’s being prepared you can continue chatting”, Jongdae informs him, “It won’t take long for it to be done though.”

“Noted.” Kyungsoo sits down and swallows the first piece of his sandwich, “Thank everyone for their consideration for me, please?”

Kyungsoo reads the conversation that passed while he was focused on making the sandwiches as it mostly clowns him. The most recent messages are wondering where he went because usually he would prohibit that kind of talk.

KYUNGSOO: _First I fought my way out of bed and then I made sandwiches_

KYUNGSOO: _I have a fever so I’m not feeling well enough to multitask_

MIYEON: _Oh no 😣_

SEHYOON: _I hope we haven’t distributed your resting too much_

MIYEON: _I hope you’ll get better soon_

MIYEON: _Sending virtual hugs 💕💕_

“ _I’m not dying_ ”, Kyungsoo mumbles, “ _But thank you for your words and the hugs_.”

JONGIN: _Are you being taken care of and have you rested at all? If not, please take the sandwiches straight to bed and stay there! I don’t know can Circle turn of the lights for you, but remember to ask at least_

JONGIN: _Also, stay hydrated, drink lots of water —you need it even if you don’t feel like it. Do you have access to any medicine? The Circle should provide at least that for you_

_“I want to repeat: I’m not dying”,_ even when Kyungsoo laughs at Jongin’s instructions, he has a fluffy feeling in his chest while reading, “ _I’m drinking water and eating, I have been given medicine after a doctor checked me and I’ve slept through this day in complete darkness. Thank you for your concern Jongin :)”_

SEHYOON: _That’s good to hear!_

MIYEON: _Jongin the doting boyfriend (he’s a keeper Kyungsoo) !!_

JONGIN: _@MIYEON Learned from the best; my dad_

JONGIN: _Is there anything we can do?_

“Miyeon and Jongin is a risky duo”, Kyungsoo sighs. He has given up on trying to control her, “ _I have Nini to hug me and that’s enough.”_

JONGIN: _Who’s this Nini?_

SEHYOON: _Kyungsoo, shouldn’t he know?_

MIYEON _: Is that jealousy I’m sensing?_

_“You’re making it sound weird”,_ Kyungsoo swallows the last piece and wipes his hands onto his clothes —he doesn’t care anymore, “ _Didn’t I tell you? He’s the bear you gave me.”_

JONGIN: _Oh_

JONGIN: _So when you said you have Nini to hug you- **Oh**_

****

“If my brain was less feverish I’m sure I’d say something great about what Jongin makes me feel, but it isn’t and we’ll never know”, Kyungsoo tells Jongdae, or whoever will hear it if this airs.

“I don’t think that’s the case”, Jongdae mumbles, “You wouldn’t have said even that much if you were 100% you.”

The chat room closes and the rankings open instead. Kyungsoo decides that’s a good moment to brush his teeth and move back to the bed as it will take forever otherwise.

Once again it’s time for the last places to move forward, only this time three are shown at once. Kyungsoo tries to narrate something but with a toothbrush in his mouth, it’s not working very well.

The numbers turn and reveal Yuri to be the last at the 7th place, which doesn’t surprise Kyungsoo the least. The place above Yuri is for Hye-Jin and when Kyungsoo registers the information he almost doesn’t believe it. She has been an influencer twice in a row —one reason why some of the players will like her less. Kyungsoo thought that Chungha’s 5thplace would be Hye-Jin’s and not this way around.

Before he can completely recover, the fourth and third places move to the front. Kyungsoo wants only see the results so he walks back to the kitchen to find the medicine Yixing left for him. It’s in the same corner as the screen so Kyungsoo can’t avoid looking when the numbers turn.

He’s so out of it that when it’s Jongin’s profile above Sehyoon’s he doesn’t get why Jongdae cheers.

“It’s you and Miyeon left, Kyungsoo. You’re the influencers”, Jongdae really has to tell it to him for him to get it.

Kyungsoo speaks what comes first to mind: “I’m not going up to that room.” He can bet anything, it’s thirty minutes tops and he’s fast asleep.

“I’ll see how’s this going to work now”, Jongdae promises and Kyungsoo let’s out a noise of confirmation.

The last two placements have had their moment for tension and reveal Miyeon’s profile back at the top of the list, right where she started. Kyungsoo deems knowing his placement is enough and turns to go to bed. It’s fucking cold and he’s shivering so whatever he needs to do, he’s doing it from his bed.

“As Miyeon knows what’s up, you’ll have your conversation immediately and she’s the only one going to the room.” The sound of Jongdae’s fingers hitting the keyboard is making Kyungsoo’s head ache.

It doesn’t take more than five minutes when the Circle opens for them to make the decision.

KYUNGSOO: _Can we skip the formalities?_

MIYEON: _Yeah, do you have anyone in mind to block?_

“ _I think we both can agree on Yuri based on our earlier conversation.”_ Kyungsoo thanks the gods for letting Miyeon the influencer alongside him. He might’ve really died if it was Chungha or something.

MIYEON: _Yes. I can make the announcement so you can rest?_ 😚

KYUNGSOO: _Thank you Miyeon. For everything._

He truly feels that way. She most likely isn’t comfortable telling the news, but she’s willing to do it for him. He also knows how important it is to get ready for the blocking and eat something during it —and because of Kyungsoo it’s being rushed.

MIYEON: _You’d do the same_ 😌❤️

“I’ve received the info that Yuri won’t be coming here to meet you”, Jongdae informs him. It’s once again very against the Circle’s rules to know something like that but Kyungsoo is grateful to the production team making exceptions for him. “Eat the medicine and try to sleep, Kyungsoo. It’s been a long day already.”

OOO

_“Yesterday was the roughest day so far both physically and mentally but don’t worry, my fever has gone down and I’m doing a lot better!”_ Kyungsoo stirs the porridge pot as he debates should he change anything, “Circle, update my status.”

Kyungsoo is still feeling a tiny bit disoriented but the fever went down during the night, so when the lights flashed back on he was ready to get up. He had a slow morning trying to get back on track with his routines when the Circle demanded a status update from him.

“ _In Yuri’s words, now that we have less women than men, ‘Girls, let’s stick together #GirlPower_ 💪🏻👩🏻’ _”,_ Kyungsoo reads Chungha’s status. She is probably now starting to realize that she’s the underdog here, judging from her try to create sense of community between the women. Kyungsoo won’t like it because it doesn’t make him feel anything in particular.

It’s Jongin’s status that gets updated next. _Yesterday feels like a fever dream because so many crazy things happened —hopefully it isn’t all in my head._ _💫_ ✨⭐️

“Is that a secret message to someone special making their breakfast currently inside this room?” Jongdae questions.

“Or he just said that without thinking”, Kyungsoo hums. He used to be the type to analyze everything and find meanings where they weren’t but after many misunderstandings on his part, he learned the hard way to not hope for too much, “Like the comment.”

_“I learned that no matter how high you rank someone, it may not be enough to save them and staying loyal to yourself is the only way to not get hurt.”_ Yongguk’s status implies that he ranked Yuri the highest —even after the AMA reveals. The part after that is a bigger mystery.

He can’t dwell on the update any longer as his porridge threatens to boil over and he has to focus on it. He can hear two notification sounds ring in the apartment as he works on moving the food into a bowl. When the most critical point has been passed, he glances at the screen to see Hye-Jin and Sehyoon’s statuses.

“ _First I was shocked by the drop in my ranking but then I decided: I won’t take anything for granted anymore as any day can be my last here_ 🌼🌸🌺 _”_ Hye-Jin has a point in what she’s saying. It’s a considerable drop from being second —twice in a row— to suddenly being the second to last player.

Sehyoon doesn’t mention anything about the blocking, which seems to be a trend. When Woojin left, everyone was fussing about it but now it seems all of them have gotten more used to the flow of people leaving and coming in regularly. It is weird to think how numb Kyungsoo is already to the blockings —as if it’s something that doesn’t have anything to do with him when in fact he has been twice the person to choose the player to leave.

Just when Kyungsoo sits himself to the table the last update comes, _Let’s congratulate ourselves for getting this far_ 🥳 _🎉_ _(or surviving the first night of the Circle) and remember to take care of our health —especially you Kyungsoo!!_ 😠 _— so we can do our best in the future too_ ☺️.

Miyeon’s love and positivity are certainly one of the reasons why she’s liked so widely. She makes everyone feel unique and recognized when they need it the most.

Kyungsoo knows these will be the only likes he gives today. As he checks the likes, he has gotten three from Jongin, Sehyoon and Miyeon like you’d expect when Chungha has gotten two from Hye-Jin and Miyeon. Miyeon gathered the most likes with four people when Jongin has only Kyungsoo’s. Sehyoon, Hye-Jin and Yongguk got none.

“People pretend much less now compared to when we started.” Kyungsoo observes, “It’s a good direction.”

The alert surprises him when it’s announced that Yuri’s video message has been updated to the newsfeed. Kyungsoo is really excited to know what’s really up with Yuri. Her answers in the AMA left more questions than what they answered.

“Hey Circle. It’s me, Yuri”, A woman’s voice calls to the players and the photo reveals Yuri as herself behind it. “Did I catfish? As you can see, no —that’s the easy answer. My personality was definitely exaggerated but the things I said were coming from me. The only thing I lied was my relationship status.”

She shows off her left ring finger that is adorned with a golden ring.Now that Kyungsoo thinks, neither of her photos look exactly like her in real life —but they’re still pictures of her. 

“My tactic was simple: flirt, bond with the women and cause chaos —afterwards I notice that wasn’t the wisest choice. And when I say tactic, I want to make clear, it wasn’t just a game; I really grew to like the people here.” She pauses dramatically to think whatever she’s going to say next, “You, who I met yesterday, please listen to what I said. You won’t get far if you don’t.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello... I'm trying to squeeze out two more chapters out of my brain before my school starts in a week and I'm concerned. I know I'm capable of doing it but my procrastination skills just surprise me every time lol This sprint isn’t just because I originally wanted to get this out before the summer ends, but because I'm trying to take part in NaNoWriMo this year —meaning I should get this done before October starts TT
> 
> This was really difficult to write for whatever reason and I hope I'll get back to my writing flow soon. Please tell me if this chapter felt different compared to the others or if something bothers you about it or anything else that comes to mind
> 
> (And please don’t judge the poor description of fever in this I KNOW it’s not that accurate)
> 
> Thank you to those who give me comments as they reassure me A LOT that what I'm doing is good —you know who you are!
> 
> Stay safe, thank you and see you soon! <3


	6. EP 6: TAG THE PLAYER

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kyungsoo learns stuff about the others and himself

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for an implication of an eating disorder!!

CHUNGHA: _How’s your fever?_ 🙃

KYUNGSOO: _It’s gone finally_

CHUNGHA: _That’s good to hear!_ 😁

CHUNGHA: _I can’t remember when was the last time I was sick —the amount of vitamins I consume daily is astronomical_ 😬

“I didn’t expect her to come talk to me”, Kyungsoo frowns, “I thought she would focus more on the women.”

Yuri’s words have been bothering him from the morning —they can be all hoax or an actual warning. If she was speaking the truth, she has advised someone to play according to her plan or somebody from the players has a plan that is a very risky for them and probably also to those who trust that person. There are so many possibilities but he wouldn’t put it past Chungha to have that kind of a plan.

“Maybe you’re one of the ladies now?”, Baekhyun offers —only half joking— but continues to distract Kyungsoo’s wrath, “It’s a good opportunity for you to get to know her better.”

“Because I need to broaden my connections?” Kyungsoo asks rhetorically when he already knows the answer, “ _Is that because of your job?”_

Kyungsoo changes his yellow into a red pencil and tries to stay inside the lines as well as he can. The amount of activities in the Circle is only limited and Kyungsoo plans to try all of them out before he’s blocked. For now, he’s finding his inner peace with coloring books for adults.

“ _Yes! I can’t really afford getting sick when I’m booked at least to weeks in advance”_ Chungha answers, “ _It’s a though business. Miss one chance and you’re out_ 😐”

KYUNGSOO: _I can imagine_

Showbiz can be very cut-throat, especially to those who aren’t that well known or aren’t exactly what the general public is looking for. Landing jobs include luck more often than not, no matter how talented you’re; missing one opportunity can lead to many unexpected problems.

“How are your social skills this bad?” Baekhyun sighs when Kyungsoo doesn’t continue the conversation. Kyungsoo colors harder —he doesn’t have a solid answer.

KYUNGSOO: _Then how did you get into modeling?_

“ _Being in front of cameras is in my genes as my mother used to be an actress._ _My family tried to warn me when I went into modeling straight out of high school but I was too arrogant”_ Chungha explains to Kyungsoo, “ _Realized what I had gotten myself into way too late to back out.”_

_“Can I ask what happened?”_

If this is Chungha’s or Yuri’s plan to survive, to make the others sympathize with her, it’s beginning to work.

_“The usual. I over-worked and got too focused on my outer appearance_ 😕”

The fact that to Chungha, that’s the norm, is something that really bugs Kyungsoo.

KYUNGSOO: _I have seen what that can do to a person from up close_

KYUNGSOO: _No one should ever go through that_

“I think this is the first time I have spoken about this so openly.” Kyungsoo is surprised himself, with this sudden want to share. He won’t say more of his late cousin for her privacy but she really changed him as a person, “After what happened, I wanted to be in TV as a chef so I could show others how to have a healthy relationship with food.”

Yes, his original plan wasn’t to become the fan-favorite within grannies but it’s not too bad either. They have taught Kyungsoo things about life probably more than what he has taught them about cooking.

“I never knew that”, Baekhyun sounds genuinely awed.

“Nobody knew until now.” Kyungsoo picks up the lightest shade of the three blue pencils and checks if he has any coffee left in the mug next to his elbow. There’s still some left and he empties it as a precaution.

CHUNGHA: _Since then, I’ve tried to advocate for a healthy body image and support charities to do what I can for others_ 💪🏼☺️💪🏼

_“I really admire your work.”_ He feels a connection to her as they have basically the same force driving their careers foreward.

He now gets what Jongdae meant with one conversation changing your view of someone. Chungha is a lot more than what she seemed before. The conversation is starting to make it hard for Kyungsoo to fear Chungha as a player. With logic, Yuri met either one of the girls or Yongguk —and Kyungsoo can’t imagine it being Miyeon or now, Chungha; leaving the player that was visited to be Hye-Jin or Yongguk.

CHUNGHA: _What’s your family like?_ 🤔

_“In my family, there’s me, my parents and Seungsoo, my older brother. I always get teased by him because I’m a huge mama’s boy and not afraid to show it —unlike him.”_ Kyungsoo explains while folding his legs so he can be closer to the coffee table.

“Didn’t you say Seungsoo is over-protective of you?” Baekhyun questions, “Isn’t that kind of contradictory of him?”

“That’s what I’ve been saying for years! Does he listen to me —no.” He accidentally adds a fingerprint onto his glasses as he stops them from falling off.

CHUNGHA: _I’m too!_ 🤩🤩

CHUNGHA: _When I was a child, I wanted to have a sibling but my parents were busy enough with me lol_

KYUNGSOO: _Were you that bad?_

“She’s either or as a child. Either she was a nightmare or an angel”, Kyungsoo guesses but her wording makes him lean more to the devilish side. He follows the three dots as she replies.

“ _It went in waves as I grew up”,_ she reveals, “ _Sometimes I did everything they wanted and then I defied like no tomorrow_ 😂”

_“_ I’d say I was quite close”, Kyungsoo chuckles as he finishes the butterfly’s first wing he was coloring, “ _I was almost so quiet that it was a bother —it was only a façade though.”  
  
_

_“Didn’t your family see trough that?”_

KYUNGSOO: _My dad probably had a clue but Seungsoo and mom just lived blissfully in oblivion._

Only after he sends the message he realizes that this will be aired and covers his face with his hands —like it would change anything, “I’m sorry mom for deceiving you all these years.”

Baekhyun laughs at that and Kyungsoo has to clear the air.

“I didn’t do anything bad or anything”, he starts and puts down the pencil for accountability, “I mean that I was more loud to express my frustration towards my childish friends —and other feelings— than when I was at home.” For that personality trait of his, he earned the graceful title of Satansoo which he carried around basically the entire time he was in school.

CHUNGHA: _Moms usually want to live in that blissful oblivion of what their children do_ 😉

Kyungsoo returns his focus to the butterfly as doesn’t have anything to answer. If Chungha wants to continue the conversation, he’s open to it, but if she doesn’t, he’s not against it either. As it seems to be the end of the talk, he just asks Baekhyun to close the chat even without proper goodbyes.

“Just so you know, I’m rolling my eyes all the way to my brain here.”

Kyungsoo leans back to inspect his work before changing the color into green for ignorance.

OOO

“Was it yesterday or the day before that when we had AMA?”, Kyungsoo asks perplexed as he realizes that the time has started to act funnily here. He’s not entirely sure when did things happen as days are blending together.

As expected, Baekhyun stays silent. He’s not allowed to tell Kyungsoo what’s the time or how much time has passed since whatever. Kyungsoo sighs and closes the coloring book he abandoned and lifts himself onto the couch, right next to Nini.

“Circle, open the app _Most likely_ ”, Kyungsoo orders and Baekhyun does as instructed.

He already prefers this game over the ones he had to play before as the only thing he has to do this time is to comment into the Circle chat the player’s name, who’s most likely to do whatever the statements say. It won’t be anonymously like it was in the AMA which spices things up.

This has the potential to reveal what was up with Yuri and other secrets he doesn’t even know to expect —or this could be a total flop.

The first statement is pretty vanilla, _Which player is the most likely to be in need for cuddles?_ and it’s probably good that the more controversial statements are at the end.

“I think everyone could use some cuddles every now and then”, Kyungsoo points out —he’s not speaking from a personal experience— as he curls up to the giant bear on his right side, “I have a feeling Miyeon would like to cuddle the most often though; I’m going to answer her.”

“These questions should be less vague because these can be answered from varying points of views”, Baekhyun complains to himself as the comments show up, “Does it want the person who gets cuddled the least, who’s in the worst situation, who wants to cuddle the most or the one who cuddles the most often?”

MIYEON: _Jongin!_

YONGGUK: _Miyeon_

SEHYOON: _Hye-Jin_

Seems like all the contestants have chosen to answer a different version of the question.

“I never thought I’d agree on something with Yongguk that I don’t agree with Miyeon and Sehyoon.” There’s nothing wrong with their answers but Kyungsoo doesn’t quite get why they chose Jongin and Hye-Jin —although he wouldn’t be surprised if Miyeon’s choice had something to do with him.

CHUNGHA: _Kyungsoo_ 😌

HYE-JIN: _Miyeon..._

JONGIN: _Miyeon_

“Me? I get that we’re now buddy-buddy with Chungha —but why?” Kyungsoo isn’t cuddly and even if he was, he has Nini with him. He can’t open his chest of complaints more as the next statement is revealed, “ _…to commit a crime unintentionally?_ How am I supposed to know?”

Miyeon is capable of being dumb enough to do something illegal without knowing it; still putting her name again doesn’t fit with Kyungsoo. Hye-Jin and Yongguk seem sensible enough to think all the possibilities through and if Kyungsoo’s honest, Chungha could commit a crime and be fully aware that it’s one —he thinks that in the most respectful way he can.

“It’s either Jongin or Sehyoon but I feel like if Jongin was put in a situation in which that could happen, he’d subconsciously realize it’s a crime and take a risk”, Kyungsoo analyzes, “Sehyoon is very smart but he’s capable of doing surprisingly dumb stuff unintentionally. So, Sehyoon is my pick.”

Kyungsoo feels like he’s a part of a movie and it’s his job to find out the motives in the suspect’s psychology. Maybe the Circle is his chance to experience the movie male lead moment he always dreamed of when he was in high school. His dreaming is cut short when the comments appear to the previously blank screen.

CHUNGHA: _Miyeon_

MIYEON: _SEHYOON_ 😤😫

YONGGUK: _Sehyoon_

HYE-JIN: _Sehyoon…_

JONGIN: Sehyoon

SEHYOON: _Chungha??_

“This tells something about Sehyoon as a person”, Kyungsoo chuckles and stretches his left leg onto the couch as it was growing numb, “Even the newest player thought he’s the most suitable.”

SEHYOON: _It’s not something that I’m very proud of but I actually got fined because my friend said a ghost was about to be run over by me and I, logically, stopped in middle of the road…_

SEHYOON: _It was completely empty road expect for a police car coming towards us — they didn’t buy that I was being serious TT_

“That’s one of the most Sehyoon things Sehyoon has ever told me. I’m not surprised the least.”

“He’s really on an another level”, Baekhyun huffs, “I was expecting something about loading music illegally without knowing it’s a crime.”

“It is?” Kyungsoo lifts his head from where it was resting against Nini’s shoulder, “Of course I knew it is, I have never thought about it like that.”

“I wonder how nobody said your name”, Baekhyun laughs out loud and it’s making Kyungsoo smile. It is a good opportunity to get up from the couch now to hide his face as the Circle hasn’t yet showed the next statement. He has to start making dinner so he’ll start with washing the rice.

Is eating the only thing he does anymore?

_“Which player is the most likely to be your friend outside the Circle?”_ Kyungsoo groans as he reaches the kitchen isle and reads the exact question he doesn’t want to answer. He has too much to lose, “Whatever people answer, they will either get hurt or be seen as two-faced. Which group will I be in?”

He lifts the ingredients to the counter and bends down to find the proper pot as he thinks. This can reveal something new about the players he didn’t know before, if not expose the person Yuri was talking about.

“The person will be either Sehyoon, Miyeon or Jongin”, he rules the rest out, “The first two are my close friends, and have been that from the beginning, but which one of them is more likely to be that in real life too? Then there’s Jongin. He’s not in the ‘friends’ category technically speaking although he’s on a pedestal compared to the other two.”

The choice is not as simple as it seems. In the life after the Circle —no matter how long of a shot it seems— Kyungsoo’d want to be either more than friends with Jongin or nothing as he can’t be ‘just friends’ after all the flirting.

“I’ll choose Miyeon.”

“WHAT? Why?” For once, it’s not Kyungsoo chocking but Baekhyun, who seemingly was waiting for a completely different answer.

“I chose from those that are solely friends —if the question read _Which player is the most likely to stay with you to outside the Circle?_ , the answer could’ve been different. Miyeon balances me out very well and I don’t see why it wouldn’t work.” Kyungsoo’s tone doesn’t leave any room for other comments. Now is not the time and place to go further into Kyungsoo’s psychology.

He pours the rice into the pot without measuring, trusting his intuition. He has enough time to start rinsing the rice under water as people are taking their sweet time deciding who’s name to comment.

He finishes the task right on time as the first comments start to show up on the screen.

YONGGUK: _Chungha_

JONGIN: _Kyungsoo_

“This hurts more than I expected.” Kyungsoo leaves the poor rice alone that went through a manhandling from him. “I’m so afraid that he feels betrayed by me.”

He suddenly feels like getting Nini from the couch and moving him closer to Kyungsoo. He really should try and explain himself to Jongin if he gets the chance to do so.

  
HYE-JIN: _Chungha_

CHUNGHA: _Hye-Jin <3_

SEHYOON: _Hye-Jin_

MIYEON: _Kyungsoo_ 🥰

_“_ I don’t know what to think about this. I’m happy that we were on the same wavelength with Miyeon, but Sehyoon not choosing either one of us makes me uneasy —although I know he’s close with Hye-Jin”, Kyungsoo tries to talk his thoughts straight, “Chungha and Hye-Jin choosing one another is and isn’t a surprise, both at the same time.”

His words stay in the air as he goes to get Nini and settles him into the kitchen chair before he takes the fish and starts to work on it. He doesn’t get far when the new statement is shown and the previous conversation wiped clean. _Which player is the most likely to marry rich?_ The question is less about actual marriage than it is about being greedy for money. Who will do the most in order to win the prize at the end of the Circle?

“Oh, this is a good one!” Baekhyun is basically having around-the-clock free ride as he gets payed to watch drama unfold.

“Sehyoon it isn’t and I can’t see Jongin or Hye-Jin being either.” Once again, he has three people left.

Chungha has said that she does charity a lot and it’s not much of a characteristic for gold-diggers. Yongguk is a huge mystery to him, so it’s a blind guess anyway. He has the potential to be very money and fame-driven but is he really? On the other hand, Miyeon seems the type of a person that enjoys being comfortable, but she’s too sweet to walk over people to get money.

“I’ll answer Yongguk.” He’s basically Kyungsoo’s only option. He has taken the longest to answer this time as the comments show up immediately.

CHUNGHA: _Yongguk_

HYE-JIN: _Yongguk_

JONGIN: _Yongguk?_

“I’m glad I chose like the majority”, Kyungsoo sighs and wipes the sweat off of his brow bone with his sleeve.

MIYEON: _Hye-Jin_ 🤩

SEHYOON: _Chungha_

YONGGUK: _Jongin_

Kyungsoo feels a spike of irritation run through him when Jongin gets mentioned. There’s two reasons for it: Jongin has said something that has made Yongguk think so _or_ Yongguk just chose the person randomly because he knows he’s the real answer. No one would answer themselves.

YONGGUK: _I’m not even mad — y’all here for money but you’re just trying to hide it when I’m playing honestly_

“Is that a new strategy?” Baekhyun sips his chamomile tea with three drops of honey and a hint of cocoa loud enough for Kyungsoo to hear, “Maybe some of you are here for the experience and not money, mr. good guy.”

There’s something on top of Kyungsoo’s tongue —not vomit caused by Baekhyun’s terrible sense of taste but something he feels he should remember. He tries to catch the thought before finally, it clicks, “Is he the one that Yuri talked about?”

“If she did, she was right —this is not a very lasting way to play”, Baekhyun’s voice shows his distaste towards the tactic, “Yuri had flirted with him —maybe she went over to tell the bitter truth of her engagement just to hear a trash plan like this.”

The conversation ends to Yongguk’s comment and a new statement replaces it.

_“Which player is the most likely to spread false information?”_ Kyungsoo reads the statement and thinks what to say, “I like most of the players to the point that I don’t think they would —intentionally— spread false things but commenting Yongguk again is a bit aggressive.” He pauses for a second and looks up from the vegetables he’s slicing, “Do it.”

He won’t throw any of the other players under the bus just because he doesn’t want to answer the same person twice.

YONGGUK: _Kyungsoo_

“Me?” Kyungsoo almost knocks the pepper onto the floor but catches it in time, “Is that because I didn’t choose Jongin as my friend in real life or have I hurt him somehow? Heck— I haven’t talked to him _once_.”

SEHYOON: _Chungha_

“And what’s up with Sehyoon answering her name to all of these? Do they have some beef that I’m not aware?” Kyungsoo feels like he’s been left out of something important, “Is it one-sided as Chungha hasn’t mentioned Sehyoon back?”

  
MIYEON: _Yongguk…_

JONGIN: _Yongguk_

HYE-JIN: _Yongguk_

CHUNGHA: _Yongguk_

“Let’s see what he has to say now”, Kyungsoo leans against the counter to watch Yongguk write —the carrot can wait until the game is over, he can’t concentrate on both.

“ _Now I know you’re only loyal to your want to win… there’s no honesty here”,_ Baekhyun mocks Yongguk’s message, “This dude is really irritating me.”

Kyungsoo can agree. He has no idea what’s Yongguk’s deal, what is going on with Sehyoon and how is he going to explain his choices to Jongin. It’s pretty clear even without saying that he’s relieved that the Circle ends the game there. He’ll cook and then talk with Jongin —never try to solve a problem while hungry.

OOO

“Why am I punished like this?” Baekhyun spins around on his chair and his voice lowers in volume as he turns away from the mic, “You’re not allowed deny me of my rights!”

The spinning started as a Baekhyun’s way of showing his rebellion even though he brought this up on his own. Kyungsoo had enough of Baekhyun’s culinarily illiterate ass speaking about food —he did what he had to.

There is a limit to how long Baekhyun can handle being ignored and left out.

Baekhyun gasps and Kyungsoo can hear a pair of feet and hands trying to stop the momentum. It is followed by a screech when the chair falls down, Baekhyun with him. Kyungsoo forces his body not to flinch at the sound and turns the next page. Kyungsoo had a feeling this would happen but why would he have interrupted? The book he’s immersed in is way too interesting to hear anything else.

Baekhyun returns to his original place in front of the monitors —feet securely on the ground. The goal has not yet been achieved so Kyungsoo adds fuel to the fire.

“No! He can’t get hurt”, Kyungsoo gasps quietly, “How are they going to continue work if the fall injured him?”

He has no idea what’s the book really about but he wasn’t the first lead in their high school musical for having the prettiest face. Kyungsoo knows Baekhyun will finally have enough of Kyungsoo’s payback if he cares more about a fictional character than him.

“Kyungsoo, this has been too long”, Baekhyun whines, “I promise I won’t say anything about your stupid food anymore.”

“What food was it?” Kyungsoo pretends to return a few pages backwards.

“‘The foods with the finest ingredients that have gone through- uh, a process, to be as-’”, Baekhyun tries to remember the rest of Kyungsoo’s words, “a long word that I can’t remember- as they can be.”

“I wonder what will he do if he breaks the promise”, Kyungsoo frowns even though Baekhyun can’t see his expressions as his back is towards the cameras, “We can’t have that happening!”

The silence stretches as Baekhyun chooses what to say. He has to eventually agree —for his job if not anything else. Kyungsoo won’t be the first one to back down.

The sigh Baekhyun lets out is the most pathetic Kyungsoo has ever heard. It’s a sigh of surrender, “I’ll let you organize my next birthday party with Chanyeol.”

Birthday is a sacred event for Baekhyun and from what he has heard, Chanyeol isn’t the best at throwing a party —never would Baekhyun let his boo near the plans he has made. Kyungsoo is better of the two but he doesn’t care enough to put any energy into things like that _and_ he’d probably slack off just to annoy Baekhyun.

“This Baekhyun really has everything covered as he lets Chanyeol and his friend organize his birthday party if something goes wrong”, Kyungsoo speaks as if it’s a part of the book. He’ll get that part aired —just for a reminder.

Now that he achieved the goal, Kyungsoo closes the book and pushes up the glasses that are sliding down on his nose bridge. He returns the random book to it’s original place into one of the drawers of the coffee table.

“‘Soo?”

Baekhyun’s voice is more unsure than Kyungsoo’d like. He didn’t want to go too far with this.

“Yeah?” He asks even when he knows Baekhyun is just making sure he responds to him this time, “You didn’t hurt yourself when you fell, right?”

“Huh?” Baekhyun’s reaction is not very intelligent, “Oh, no I didn’t. Only when it was for Chanyeol.”

Kyungsoo stops in middle of his way to the bathroom to wash his glasses, “It hurt?”

“Well not really —I just wanted to be witty.”

The normal Baekhyun is certainly back.

Kyungsoo is forced to move from the hallway when an alert rings in the apartment. He turns around to go back to the living room but turns around again when he realizes he has to wash the glasses first and foremost.

“Accept Jongin’s invite.” Jongin beat Kyungsoo to start a conversation, which is not a surprise considering how Kyungsoo managed to procrastinate the task —alone in an apartment— long enough to eat once more.

He cares a lot about Jongin and whatever this thing between them is; he’d hate to see it end because of him but he knows himself. He has never been the one to point out the elephant in the room, especially if he’s the cause —he’s a coward like that.

JONGIN: _Hey_

JONGIN: _What are you doing?_

“ _Cleaning fingerprints out of my glasses”,_ Kyungsoo admits, _“Not a very fancy activity.”_

The water is making the cut he got from cooking burn —he’s not clumsy in the kitchen if Baekhyun is not there to push his buttons.

“ _You wear glasses? But you don’t have them in either one of your photos”,_ Baekhyun reads for Kyungsoo as he’s occupied.

KYUNGSOO: _I mostly wear contacts when I’m out_

KYUNGSOO: _And I’m not blind enough to be unable to function without them_

He dries his glasses onto his shirt and checks if they’re clean enough as he reads Jongin’s answer, “ _I’m starting to believe we’re fated… I have glasses too but wear contacts more often.”_

“ _You’re not kidding right?”_

“Have you thought that if you ever live with Jongin”, Baekhyun starts off-topic, “You’ll have five dogs. _Five_.”

Kyungsoo hasn’t thought that far into the future but that sounds like a hassle. They’ll be like the meme where the woman has ten leashes tied around her waist with a dog at the end of each. The thought of trying to feed all of them with some kind of sense is as terrifying as the chaos that traveling with them will be. But as with any dog, the payoff will be greater —just imagine all seven of them playing together and cuddling when the energy runs out.

_“_ I didn’t know that was a fantasy of yours”, Baekhyun is slightly disgusted, “Your heart eyes are showing.”

Kyungsoo makes the mistake of checking his expression from the mirror in front of him and he sees the rush of emotion there he didn’t want to see as he quickly resets his face muscles. Jongin has answered already and he’s just idling in his thoughts.

JONGIN: _About us being fated? I admit that was more to flirt with you_

JONGIN: _Or about wearing glasses —no unfortunately not_

JONGIN: _So I know washing them might not be a fancy activity but very necessary one_

“ _Unless you’re like me and have a habit of leaving fingerprints onto them”,_ Kyungsoo sighs as he accidentally does it again while adjusting them. Wiping them again onto his shirt will do.

KYUNGSOO: _But what are you doing?_  
  


Kyungsoo follows the three dots bouncing on Jongin’s profile photo as he writes, “ _I am giving you my full attention, but I was trying read a book in English.”_

“That’s fascinating”, Kyungsoo says, “I’m pretty confident in understanding and pronouncing English but I can’t say that I’m near fluent —recently though I’ve thought that it would be really helpful to know English well.”

His own desire to learn came up during the two weeks he spent going around Manchester before entering the Circle. All the contestants had been put into different planes with part of the production crew to secure them from meeting one another. It alone took a week and another was taken for filming the introductions and making sure everything was ready for the show.

KYUNGSOO: _You’re really dedicated to do that here_

JONGIN: _I have nothing but time so why not try to learn something_

KYUNGSOO: _Do you have some specific reason to learn?_

“I was told by Luhan that I was like the third to be sent here”, Kyungsoo remembers, “Was he right? Is there any reason?”

During the two weeks, if he wanted to go out of the hotel room, he had to do it with Luhan as his guide/babysitter —his job was to track down the other contestants and avoid them with Kyungsoo. He was a nice dude and he shared common interests with Kyungsoo —they could be great friends if not for the language barrier; he was one of the locals who spoke only some basic Korean.

“I’ve been wondering who were you with!” Baekhyun exclaims, “I think you were third or fourth to arrive out of twenty —probably just because your schedule allowed it.”

Kyungsoo hums as an answer while he reads Jongin’s answer. _I want to be able to reach and connect with more people around the world._

It’s a wish Kyungsoo can relate to, _“What made you have that goal?”_

JONGIN: _I wasn’t planning to speak about the heavy stuff yet but if you’re sure you want to know_

Kyungsoo is noticing that the younger guy has a tendency to make sure he’s alright with these questions that interrupt the conversation. It makes Kyungsoo feel safe, knowing that Jongin values his boundaries, “ _I want to know you Jongin, all the good and all the bad.”_ He feels a little hypocritical as he still hasn’t lifted the cat out of the bag why didn’t he choose Jongin. He’ll get there eventually.

Kyungsoo expects something personal but Jongin’s words make his heart ache on a whole different level.

_“Year ago, I went through a breakdown because my whole life had been turned around in a single night —when I say my whole life, I mean it. My family, friends and job were suddenly something I couldn’t take for granted anymore. Nothing was guaranteed. It was then that I realized that even a single sentence of support from a person you don’t know can help relieve some of that pain you’re carrying. And it was then that I decided that I would be that person, too, for someone, someday.”_ Jongin’s emotions are conveyed to Kyungsoo, who’s eyes are glazed with tears for all the lingering feelings of hurt he can distinguish from the message.

He doesn’t need to know what happened to admire Jongin for his strength to convert his pain into positivity, _“I hope you know how amazing you are”,_ Kyungsoo sighs, hanging his head to hide his face from the cameras, _“And I hope your world is a bit brighter now.”_

JONGIN: _Some people left, some stayed and some new people came into my life. It’s how life works_

JONGIN: _I wouldn’t be here without what happened so I’m grateful_

JONGIN _: I wasn’t lying when I said you can make me laugh like no one else has in a while_

No matter how honestly Kyungsoo plays, he’s a dishonest person. He’s strong and confident in his skills and opinions on the outside, but really, he’s only an emotionally difficult person with a weak will. While Jongin is confident and strong like Kyungsoo, he’s also open with his feelings, hopes and dreams not to mention the way he shows kindness to everyone. No matter how it’s measured, Jongin will always be leagues ahead of Kyungsoo, who’s lagging behind.

But, as mentioned, Kyungsoo is way too weak to resist the younger guy. He’ll only have to work harder with the goal of being equal to Jongin someday. Kyungsoo accidentally locks eyes with himself through the mirror.

“Kyungsoo?” Baekhyun asks as the player hasn’t said anything in a while.

“Baekhyun, I-“, Kyungsoo starts without turning away from his reflection. He swallows the lump in his throat and continues, “I like Jongin and I’m not going to run away anymore.”

He’s tired of being afraid of getting hurt. If the Circle has taught him something, it’s the fact that everyone has a past and everyone will go through something rough —nobody has the perfect life as they claim to have in their profiles.

KYUNGSOO: _Then I wish that I can stay by your side —to keep you smiling_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ALL HAIL THE WODEREOUS WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY
> 
> I really thought that I lost the entire chapter and was writing it again when I got so so so irritated that I went trough hell (looked at a place called 'history') and found it TT I can't express how relieved I am,,,, my blood literally ran cold
> 
> SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE
> 
> I have worked on this and the rest of the story for three? four? days now and I realized that I never want to prioritize being fast over quality —I realized I shouldn't be writing to get the chapters out but to be writing to tell a story
> 
> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS
> 
> All of your encouraging words really helped me to do better and write better and I'm super super grateful to all of you even if TFR isn't doing that good in numbers!!
> 
> THE HALFWAY IS HERE
> 
> We're 6 out of 12 chapters in and I promise you, the more exciting half is beginning lol There'll be misunderstandings, lies, betrayals and a little love as well as friendship - all the good stuff obviously 
> 
> To those of you who read my long-ass AN to the end, I've been thinking about of writing a bonus chapter after the last chapter (I may have an idea already...) What do you think about it? Should it be long, short? Is it unnecessary?
> 
> With a grateful heart, thank you and please take care of yourselves and the people around you<3


	7. EP 7: TALKS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kyungsoo meets new people and disobeys his own rules

Kyungsoo likes mornings like this; having a cup of black coffee, nothing to worry about and a good night’s sleep behind him. The sun is rising slowly with the English scenery in front of it. Too bad he’s not allowed to go onto the balcony to feel the wind.

“Wave”, Jongdae breaks his quiet moment and Kyungsoo huffs.

“What now?”

“Wave your hand.”

Kyungsoo rolls his eyes at the producer’s antics and tries to keep his smile in check. “I guess I can entertain you once in a a while.” He switches the cup from his right hand into the left and waves the now empty hand lazily.

Jongdae seems pretty happy with him based on the shriek he lets out.

“I can see you! Look at me!”

Now Kyungsoo is confused, “Can’t you see me all the time? I’m locked here 24/7 if you needed a reminder.” He turns around to sit on the couch to drink the rest of his coffee before going to change out of his sleepwear.

“No! Turn back!” Kyungsoo takes a second for his sanity as he slowly turns around to face the balcony. He’s starting to worry for the older guy’s mental health.

“Yes?” He makes sure his body language screams irritated as he rests his weight on his right leg. The morning is staring to lose its idyllic atmosphere.

“Walk back to the window”, Jongdae instructs and Kyungsoo follows reluctantly, “Now, you see that building in front of you, right? Look straight ahead to the third floor’s window.”

Kyungsoo counts the floors and tries to look for what’s this about when he spots a man waving frantically directly opposite of himself, “Is that you?”

“Yes! I thought you’d want to see me too”, Jongdae stops waving but unfortunately Kyungsoo can’t see much more of him as he’s too far. Kyungsoo would’ve never come up with this on his own so he’s sorry for his annoyance before. Seeing real people is a privilege he didn’t know he had until he lost it.

Of course, there has been Yifan to prove the existence of humans from time to time, but he’s like a ghost; comes and goes without saying anything unnecessary.

“Although I logically knew you were real, I feel much better after seeing you with my own eyes.” Kyungsoo laughs relieved but stops abruptly, “How can I still hear you when you are away from the monitors?”

“Headset, Kyungsoo.” Jongdae sighs, “Most of us wear these through out the day but Baekhyun refuses to mess his hair in any situation so he has to sit through the day by the monitors.

“I can tell you he doesn’t.” Kyungsoo has seen enough of the gray lump Jongdae is and moves to sit, “He runs around the room screaming surprisingly often.”

“Sometimes I wonder how he passed the test show”, Jongdae laughs out loud, “He’s a genius with all the equipment but he has quadrupled the amount of energy than anyone else I know.”

“Yeah, have you heard that he-“, Kyungsoo’s words get interrupted by an alert on the screens, “An alert? So early?”

Yesterday was relatively quiet when it comes to the Circle so it’s only natural, they had to fasten the pace at some point. It’s apparently time to rate the other players once again.

“I wonder how many times I’ll see this screen again,” Kyungsoo sips his coffee, “Circle, open ratings.”

The six other profiles greet him when the view opens. Without a glance, he knows who’ll keep being the number one for him now and in the future.

“Jongin will get the first placement,” he chooses what to say next, “We have grown closer and I’ll do everything to keep him in the game.”

Jongin was relatively chill when Kyungsoo finally got himself to explain the reason he didn’t choose Jongin in the game —according to the dancer, he had guessed something along Kyungsoo’s words. Once again Kyungsoo realized how mature the other is compared to him. He trusted Kyungsoo and waited to hear the explanation without a fuss. He also learned that maybe communication isn’t as hard as he imagined it to be.

“On the other end will be Yongguk as I don’t like his way of playing and I don’t trust him at all.” It’s very simple decision. Anyone will be higher than him.

“Even without seeing the game I heard he had a catastrophic strategy and I can believe it.” Jongdae comments in between Kyungsoo’s narration.

“Because of yesterday’s game I’ll put Miyeon to the second place. I always struggle with Sehyoon and her placements, but I still don’t know why is Sehyoon so against of Chungha —until I know she’ll be higher.” Kyungsoo folds his legs onto the couch and leans against the armrest. “Sehyoon is still important to me so he’ll get the third place.”

He has only two left; Chungha and Hye-Jin. The ratings go way faster now than the on first time —now he knows these people and his choices aren’t based on guesses.

“Jongdae”, Kyungsoo swallows his pride and finally admits out loud, “You were right. I should’ve tried to get to know the other players better.”

“I have to say I’m very flattered to hear this from _the_ Kyungsoo”, Jongdae teases him, “Glad you learned at least something from me.”

Just like Chungha showed a way different side to herself during their conversation, he wonders if Woojin, Jackson or Yuri would’ve done that too. He knows it’s too late already for them but now he knows better for the future contestants —he won’t waste any of his time with Yongguk.

“Chungha has been the biggest surprise to me. She has always been ranked low by me but now she’s suddenly really close to me.” Kyungsoo drinks the rest of his coffee and puts the cup on the coffee table next to the pencils he hasn’t cleaned yet. “Hye-Jin… she’s nice and all but I feel like she hasn’t done anything special for days. She has just been hanging around so it’s obvious Chungha will get the fourth place, leaving the fifth to Hye-Jin.”

He’s not sure if his image of Hye-Jin is only made up in his head and completely his own illusion —he’s not even sure anymore why he liked her that much in the first place. Yeah, Sehyoon likes her a lot but he also dislikes Chungha; he’s not sure what to think as Miyeon likes both of them equally.

OOO

“What do you think about this one?” Kyungsoo asks once again as he stops browsing on a movie he thinks seems promising, “Is it up to your standards?”

“If I’d fuck with teen romances filmed with a shoe —then yes”, Jongdae is not letting Kyungsoo live, “Is this your definition of ‘quality movies’?”

Kyungsoo pushes his glasses up and counts to three, “No, but you’re not giving me many choices here: something filmed in 2016, without special effects, female main character and must be in French. How many movies do you think you’ve dismissed?”

“Enough to know there’s some left.”

“You know what?” Kyungsoo has had enough, “Watching Kissing Booth and the sequel with _Baekhyun_ as my company is better than this. Let’s stop.”

He’s not allowed to watch Netflix more than one movie in every few days and this is not how he’s planning to use his opportunity. The only reason he’s even listening the producer’s opinion is the fact that he has to watch it with Kyungsoo wanted he it or not.

The screen blanks and transforms itself into an alert before Jongdae can answer him. He panics for a second, thinking he managed to break the system until the screen changes again.

“We have two new players?” Kyungsoo gathers himself and his eyes widen when the realization hits, “Two?”

“More than one, less than three. Two”, Jongdae deadpans.

Kyungsoo ignores the comment and unfolds his legs as he leans a tiny bit closer to the screen. The profiles-page has been updated with two new faces among the familiar seven. One woman, Hyuna, and one man, Eunki.

“Let’s see Eunki’s profile, Circle”, Kyungsoo requests and his information is immediately revealed. He falls to the same category as Miyeon when Kyungsoo first saw her; sweet and innocent —which makes Kyungsoo already like him.

He has different colored hair in his photos but it’s clear he’s the same person. Both pictures are selfies, the one he has black hair is taken in winter with a huge winter coat, the second having been taken in the summer with blond hair. They’re almost identical as he shows the V-sign with his free hand in both pictures.

“He’s the youngest?” Kyungsoo coos, “Only 22 and single —I can’t almost remember the time I was 22 trying to survive my college years.”

“Hush, ‘Soo”, Jongdae whines, “You’re making me feel like antique.”

“Aren’t you _at least_ vintage? Don’t lie to yourself, you aren’t getting any younger.” Kyungsoo fights his slouch but it eventually gets the best of him and he stands up to pace in front of the screen. “Do you know what Eunki reminds me of? He’s like a mixture of Miyeon and Sehyoon.”

Kyungsoo bases this on the fact that he gives the same vibe as Miyeon, but his bio, _You know, when you look for something and realize it has been in your hand the whole time —it’s me personified,_ is somehow similar to Sehyoon’s Monopoly reference.

“I like him; for once, maybe I’ll take the initiative and start a conversation with him later”, Kyungsoo finishes his first look on Eunki and moves onto the other new contestant, Hyuna.

Kyungsoo would be lying if he said he’s looking forward to having her with them. Only based on a brief overlook on her profile —she won’t be someone Kyungsoo’ll want to bond with.

“She seems exactly like the girl from high school who is immensely popular without no apparent reason. She wears sweatpants, doesn’t wear make up and is constantly out drinking and partying.”

“Someone has traumas”, the producer sighs, “What’s wrong with not wearing makeup —you’re wearing sweats too.”

“It’s not those things, really. It’s more the question _why._ Why is that person so liked even when her personality is foul.” Kyungsoo stops and takes a closer look on the photos. He’s feeling like a main character in a sci-fi movie whenever he must judge new people.

The circle is a sci-fi plot in a nutshell as they’re filmed and quarantined by AI that makes them delete one another one at a time only based on a scratch on the surface —which is one of the reasons Kyungsoo is able to handle all of this without going crazy. He plays by his heart, but everything is only in the game and left behind when he gets out, as seen with the blocked contestants. Alternative universe, in a way.

“ _Firstly, I don’t have that many friends, so I like to keep the ones that I really care for close to me. Secondly, I’m not trying to be perfect, because when you do, it gets very tiring_ ”, Kyungsoo reads her bio and tries to cringe as less as possible, “I don’t like this ‘trying to be perfect-agenda’ of hers.”

The pictures she has chosen are both very relaxed and chill further supporting her image. She’s naturally beautiful, Kyungsoo is not going to lie, but her second photo where she’s sitting on the ground while laughing screams that Hyuna wants for him to think she doesn’t care about what others think.

“Actually, the picture where she’s holding that glass is something I could’ve chosen. It’s simple and very realistic but still she’s not too shabby”, Kyungsoo analyzes. Standing in front of a pile of cookie boxes in the kitchen while flexing your abs drunk is a photo you need to have balls to upload to Circle as your profile photo.

“You wouldn’t have.” They both know he’s not that type of the person so even when Kyungsoo wants to argue, he knows he can’t.

“Her aura makes me want to say she’s lying about being single”, Kyungsoo changes the leg he’s resting his weight on as he tilts his head, “That being said, she probably is 25 like she says she is. Her photos, bio; the whole whabam fits.”

“Whabam? Sometimes I feel like _you_ are the vintage if one of us is.”

Kyungsoo rolls his eyes and pushes his glasses up with his thumb, rounding the coffee table as he sits between the armrest and Nini. Jongdae doesn’t know what he’s talking about —all the grannies praise his youthful face even after all the years showbiz has caused him wrinkles.

“So we can move on, I’ll make my final verdict on Hyuna”, Kyungsoo wraps his arms around the teddy bear, “Hyuna is clever, probably a very good player, but she seems shady, if not bitchy, and one of those pretty party girls. Yongguk’ll have his eyes on her and Chungha, as well as Miyeon will love her. Sehyoon, Hye-Jin and Jongin will most likely think like I do, and our youngest, our newest player, Eunki will fall somewhere in between.”

“Now you’re a psychic too?” Jongdae sits down loudly on his chair and continues, “What does your foresight say about starting a conversation with someone before my shift ends?”

It’s Jongdae’s words that are the reason Kyungsoo abruptly decides to start a chat with Eunki, before anyone else can get to him. He didn’t think that the time he takes the initiative would come so soon but what is done is done. Part of him also feels bad because most of Jongdae’s work-hours are spent watching him sleep when he could be talking to the other players when he’s around too.

KYUNGSOO: _Welcome to the Circle_

KYUNGSOO: _Has everything went well?_

Eunki starts writing immediately his reply and Kyungsoo absent-mindedly combs through Nini’s fur. It has tangled a lot since Kyungsoo got him as a gift as he’s constantly fiddling with him.

EUNKI: _Thank you,,,, Everything is good expect for that I was so excited and fell and now I have a scraped knee :(_

“ _Hopefully you didn’t hurt yourself badly”,_ Kyungsoo turns back to the hand he’s holding. Eunki reminds him of a child as he’s so lively —he notices the signs of oldness himself, too. “ _What do you think about us, other players?”_

“Of course, you’d ask.” Jongdae’s voice carries his mirth to Kyungsoo, “I’d ask too.”

It’s too good of an opportunity; hearing fresh thoughts from someone new. Kyungsoo is dying to know what Eunki thought about his profile, but even more than that, he’d like to know what does he think about Hye-Jin —he’s Kyungsoo’s perfect opportunity to talk with someone without being suspicious or biased.

“ _All of you guys seem so professional and adult compared to me,,,,, I was afraid how I could talk with you as I’m so uncool compared to the rest”,_ Eunki starts his comment, _“Miyeon especially is someone I think I’d get along with well, but I was thinking that I’d like to know the guys well first!”_

_“I think you should go and talk with her; we’re not going anywhere and as her friend, I can guarantee that she’ll enjoy talking with you”,_ Kyungsoo leads Eunki. They’ll certainly hit it off. “ _What about the other women?”_

EUNKI: _Then I’ll do so!_

EUNKI: _So, you’re friends? Are there others you’re close with?_

EUNKI: _I eventually want to get to know everyone well, but I want to start with those I think it’ll happen the most naturally_

Kyungsoo is soon covered in fake hair with the speed he’s ripping the hairballs open, so he let’s the bear be and just leans onto his neck as he answers, “ _Miyeon and Sehyoon have been with me the longest but now, I’d say Jongin is the closest to me.”_

He knew he would have to give something away as a trade for Eunki’s opinion, but he’ll let the youngster figure their situation by himself or with the other’s help. Also, his approach to the game is so pure compared to some he’s heard in the video messages or even what he had when he started.

EUNKI: _I don’t know if it’s wise to ask you but is Sehyoon scary?_

EUNKI: _He seems nice but if he went to jail,,,,,,_

If question-mark was a facial expression, Kyungsoo would be wearing it currently.

KYUNGSOO: _Sehyoon is odd at times, but scary? Never_

KYUNGSOO: _And it was **Monopoly**_

The dots jump up and down for a while and Kyungsoo really wants to know what’s behind them.

EUNKI: _Is that a place or a crime or?_

EUNKI: _Am I the only one who doesn’t know —yikes_

_“Monopoly is a boardgame and Sehyoon is speaking about the jail in the game”,_ Kyungsoo explains. He’s not sure if he’s more shocked, dumbfounded or offended by the fact that there’s a person who doesn’t know the game.

EUNKI: _AHHHHHHHH I KNOW IT! I didn’t connect the dots,,,,, this is so embarrassing_

Kyungsoo can’t help but laugh out loud at that. It’s very much like what Eunki said in his bio. The dumb energy is clearly a part of him but it just makes him more endearing.

KYUNGSOO: _Don’t worry! It happens to the best of us_

EUNKI: _Does it?_

EUNKI: _I’m mortified,,,,, can we continue this later — I can’t face more shame so soon :((_

Kyungsoo is totally fine with the idea, even if it’s clear Eunki just wants a way to end the conversation.

“ _Of course! Let’s talk again, if not one-on-one then at a game or something!”_ Kyungsoo answers and exits the chat he started.

He has noticed that he tends to use a lot more exclamation marks with specific people, but it’s pretty much the same thing that happens in real life as well. You show a different side of yourself to every person in your life.

“What should we do now?” Kyungsoo looks up to Nini’s eyes when the quiet gets too much. He doesn’t get an answer from any of the people he expects when Baekhyun answers him.

“Sleep. Jongdae is going to sleep.” Kyungsoo hears some noises of struggle and lots of murmurs from the night-producer when it finally quiets down, “Jongdae was a second away from falling asleep —I don’t know how he managed to write your responses.”

No wonder it got so quiet.

OOO

JONGIN: _I want to know you better_

JONGIN: _I feel like we’ve focused more on me than you_

“ _Oh no! It was never my intention to avoid being the topic!”_ Kyungsoo maneuvers himself up on the bed hurriedly.

Without even noticing it has mostly been Jongin, who has been telling about himself more deeply.

KYUNGSOO: _Ask me whatever you want, and I’ll answer_

“What if he thinks I have done that purposefully?” Kyungsoo is a little groggy from the movie he and Baekhyun watched, but he’ll have to manage for the sake of his and Jongin’s chat.

JONGIN: _It wasn’t **that** noticeable; I just want to talk about you and your interests this time_

KYUNGSOO: _That’s good! Is there anything you want to know in particular?_

JONGIN: _How about what did you want to be when you grow up?_

“This is an easy question”, Kyungsoo folds his legs and covers them with the blanket, “ _I didn’t have anything special when I was a child, but some years ago I really wanted to become a chef at Gaon._ ”

“Isn’t that the-“ The producer pauses, before he gasps as he puts the pieces together, “One of the two three-star Michelin restaurants in Seoul?”

Kyungsoo has no idea how Baekhyun knows and why he knows, but he isn’t incorrect, “It wasn’t that when I first wanted to start working there. By chance I got to eat at Gaon, and I just knew I wanted to work there eventually. I was like sixteen.”

“ _Isn’t that the expensive place?”_ The fact that Jongin knows at least that much about one of the greatest places of Kyungsoo’s hidden profession makes his heart do things, _“So… I believe you’re a good cook?”_

_“I’d say I am.”_ Kyungsoo thinks what to tell next and he absent-mindedly pushes his spectacles up with another fingerprint. _“Once Gaon’s reputation began to grow my goals changed again.”_

In reality, that’s half of the truth. The stars were one more reason for Kyungsoo to be better in his profession, so he could work there someday. His cousin was the real reason of his sudden change of mind —honestly having worked hard for Gaon helped him a ton in getting into TV as he couldn’t afford being unskilled even in cooking programs.

JONGIN: _Then what’s your favorite food? I think I now get why you weren’t that happy with fried chicken being my favorite food_

KYUNGSOO: _Choosing is hard, but if I say what I like making the most —it’s one in the simple end of the spectrum, kimchi spaghetti_

KYUNGSOO: _And yes… I do have a small complex with fast food_

“A small? You have the wrong measurements now, honey”, Baekhyun butts in suddenly.

“It’s not _that_ bad, and I do acknowledge it which makes it even less bad.”

JONGIN: _Sorry not sorry I’m not giving up on my fried chicken, not even for you_

KYUNGSOO: _And that’s completely fine with me_

KYUNGSOO: _Occasionally it’s good or something_

“How about we order something to celebrate Jongin’s existence?” Baekhyun tries, “We can test out fried chicken and get you used to it.”

Kyungsoo waits to answer until Jongin is finished writing, “ _Is once a week too much?”_

_“It definitely is. Once A MONTH tops, that’s the best offer I’m making.”_ Kyungsoo is clear on his agenda from the start to avoid later confronts. “I guess I could try tonight something.”

It’s not an easy decision but the rules aren’t that serious for him —it will just make his image crumble once again a tiny bit more.

_“I’ll take whatever I can!”_ Jongin’s love for fried chicken is really apparent. _“What is your next goal as you said it changed?”_

_“Years into the future, I want to move far away from the city and be a farmer.”_ Kyungsoo hasn’t voiced his dreams to many people yet, but it’s fair for Jongin to know —whether he’ll be with Kyungsoo then.

He has fulfilled a part of his previous dream already, as he has gotten messages in his socials from young and old people, who have gained something from his TV appearances. Still, the reality is that he won’t be able to continue forever and he’s fine with it. The peace and quiet of the countryside are something he already longs for.

There has been a thought brewing within his mind for a while now. “Someday, when I’m leaving the whole entertainment industry, I’ll take care of a farm. I want to start a support group for ex-celebrities and celebrities of all kinds, who need a space of solitude. I want to offer them a safe place where they can heal from whatever, away from the prying eyes.”

JONGIN: _You’re lucky I like animals_

Jongin’s nonchalant answer brings Kyungsoo brief happiness over the fact that Jongin is planning to stay with Kyungsoo that long —even if he doesn’t know all the details yet.

JONGIN: _And I’m lucky I met you; I’ve always wanted to move away when my career is over_

OOO

“Wohoo!” Baekhyun hollers as the alert fills the screens in Kyungsoo’s apartment, “What time it is!?”

Kyungsoo sorts the rest of the trash and shakes his head and catches the glasses before they drop. He won’t take part in Baekhyun’s antics.

“It’s party time!” Kyungsoo’s attitude is not slowing Baekhyun down as he hypes himself some more, until Kyungsoo has to say something.

“I knew the extra sundae was too much for you on top of that caffeine rush you ordered.”

Baekhyun had gotten over-the-top orders for both of them as Circle was responsible for the costs. Kyungsoo was fair enough to admit that the food wasn’t extremely disappointing, but it wasn’t anything that exceeded vastly his personal expectations.

“If you’d just focus and do your job during this party-thing”, Kyungsoo starts as Baekhyun starts his own cheer without any warning. Kyungsoo waits for a second for Baekhyun to run out of breath and continues, “It can’t be long until you can go home and let Chanyeol deal with you.”

The name brings some sense into him and he quiets down so Kyungsoo can read the instructions.

“A pajama party? This is interesting”, Kyungsoo leans against the kitchen table and reads as further instructions follow, “There are boxes again?”

He hurries to the door and finds himself only one box this time. The door isn’t even closed when he looks what’s inside. There’s pajamas and facemasks, as well as some decorations.

Kyungsoo is a moment away from leaving the decorations be —as he has to clean them by himself eventually— but Baekhyun’s begging is suddenly something he doesn’t have time for. The results aren’t pretty, but they’re something.

“Is this the reason you had to know my clothing size?” Kyungsoo unfolds the one-piece jumpsuit from the box and takes a closer look at it.

“Yeah”, Baekhyun sounds a lot calmer now, “Put it on with those fluffy socks you have!”

“I-“, Kyungsoo’s refusal is cut short as he thinks about it a bot more. “Okay, then.”

This is an once-in-a-lifetime experience and later, when he looks back at this, he doesn’t want to be the boring one who doesn’t do anything fun. After his realization it doesn’t take 10 minutes when he’s fully relaxed on the couch, jumpsuit, facemask and fluffy socks on.

“That’s fashionable”, Baekhyun is holding his laughter and Kyungsoo can hear it, “Imagine what’s Jongin looking like right now.”

Kyungsoo’d roll his eyes if his eyes were open, but they aren’t, and he lets Baekhyun be as he’s focusing on viewing Jongin in his outfit inside his mind.

An alert notifies Kyungsoo that the Circle chat is now open, and their party has officially started. He lifts his head from the backrest and squints in the brightness.

CHUNGHA: _Hey everyone, and a warm welcome to our newest players @EUNKI and @HYUNA_!! <3<3

“Not too long ago, I’d have been so annoyed that Chungha is so forward with her approach”, Kyungsoo smiles at the memory, even if it isn’t that good, _“Let’s enjoy our first party together!”_

HYUNA: _What would the first day be without a party! lol_

EUNKI: _It’s good to be able to talk to all of you on the first day!_

“From things like this, you can see how different personalities they have”, Kyungsoo sighs. The mask is making talking difficult, but the time is not up yet.

SEHYOON: _How has the Circle been so far? I can confidently speak for all of us when I say we’ve all been there_

JONGIN: _@SEHYOON some later than others_

SEHYOON: _Ok, Kyungsoo’s husband_

“What’s that all about?” Kyungsoo’s face remains stoic but his eyes widen either way, “He’s making us sound very serious.”

“It isn’t serious?” Baekhyun snorts at Kyungsoo’s words.

JONGIN: _And….?_

EUNKI: _What is going on?_

Kyungsoo almost forgot he didn’t tell Eunki anything in depth about him and Jongin, but the cat’s out of the bag now. He’s getting tired of not being able to comment properly —he doesn’t hesitate at all to pull the facemask off.

“Yeah, Kyungsoo”, Baekhyun teases him, “Do you want to tell us what’s going on?”

MIYEON: _They’re our lovebirds … cute isn’t it?_

Kyungsoo releases a sigh as he doesn’t need to answer himself. He has made progress with his emotions but not enough to speak about them as publicly as the others and Jongin. He doesn’t mind them talking about him and Jongin, though.

HYUNA: _That’s so sweet! Congratulations?_

EUNKI: _I had no idea… should I’ve picked it up on my own?_

_“No, it’s okay. I didn’t bring it up purposefully, so you’d be able to make your first impressions without any biases”,_ Kyungsoo explains, “ _Back to Sehyoon’s question; how has your day been?”_

HYE-JIN: _Kyungsoo you’re not very slick, you know that?_

HYE-JIN: _I can tell that I’m excited for this party as it’s our first_

EUNKI: _Oh yeah, I’ve talked chat after chat to the point I’m getting people mixed because of information overload_

Even if it seems like too much for Eunki now, he’ll thank himself for not delaying the talks until it’s too late —like Kyungsoo has done.

HYUNA: _I have talked to a few people, but mostly I’ve been making myself home with unpacking my things_

HYUNA: _I’m exited for the first ranks as then the game will really start!_

“Hyuna has been here for hours, but you still have your suitcase full.” Baekhyun clicks a pen right next to the mic and continues, “It’s over the half-point. Don’t you think it would be time now?”

Baekhyun has a point. It may still be full, but it’s a whole mess from the inside as Kyungsoo has pulled and pushed pieces of clothing in and out of the suitcase.

“Tomorrow morning, I’ll organize my stuff. It’s too late to start now.” Kyungsoo answers and lays on his back on the couch. It doesn’t immediately occur to him, but when he realizes the producer just revealed something he probably shouldn’t have.

He almost speaks up, but leaves it be as a) Baekhyun could’ve done it purposefully b) Baekhyun could get into trouble c) Baekhyun could become extra careful with what he says —not giving Kyungsoo even the amount of special information he gives now.

CHUNGHA: _The circle is the most enjoyable when we don’t have to rate our friends lol_

CHUNGHA: _You’re lucky you’ll get to sit the next one out_

“She’s right”, Kyungsoo pushes his glasses to the right place on his nose, “We’ve already done the ratings and Hyuna and Eunki weren’t part of that yet.”

The party music on the background, that Kyungsoo barely noticed, makes itself noticeable only as it ceases down.

“Speaking about ratings…” Baekhyun starts and the door opens behind him, letting a stream of noise into Kyungsoo’s room from the building next to him.

“Hey Kyungsoo!” Jongdae calls out before exchanging quick words with Baekhyun. Kyungsoo can’t say anything back before as the screen blanks out and an alert rings inside the apartment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey loves! 
> 
> I know this update is late and I know that my deadlines are really stretching right now for The Fake Reality. My new school is less and more though than what I thought, but at least I've gotten to know some of my friends better now that we are in the same class. (I'm one of the bros now!!)
> 
> Plans have been made for this story, but now I just have to write them out TT It doesn't help that I impulsively decided to join a ficfest... 
> 
> Anyways, I hope I can write the next chapter in a week, so I'd be back on track with my schedule :)
> 
> With love, take care of yourselves!


	8. EP 8: FACE TO FACE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kyungsoo tastes the bitter reality that the Circle is

Kyungsoo doesn’t have a habit of biting his nails, but he now understands why so many people do.

Anything to get his attention away from the screen would be good enough — fiddling with his glasses does more harm than relieve his anxiety. The lenses are filled with his fingerprints and he needs to stop if he wants to see the results.

Everything went just like normal when the ranks got revealed. It stung when Jongin got the second to last place only Yongguk behind him, but Kyungsoo got over it. Sometimes that happens as the friendships change and get stronger and weaker from time to time. He didn’t have anything to complain about even when he took the fourth place, beating Hye-Jin.

It meant that only good people were going to be the influencers; Chungha, Sehyoon or Miyeon — Jongin would be saved, he knew. He grew surer when Miyeon took the first place, followed by Sehyoon, who finally got his first verified mark in the game. Kyungsoo celebrated with Jongdae and Baekhyun, who had stayed to watch.

Baekhyun left right after the last placements, missing the notification the players got.

Logically, Kyungsoo has nothing to worry about — he trusts Sehyoon and Miyeon to choose correctly between Jongin and Yongguk. Still, the idea that Jongin had to go to meet Yongguk to wait which one of them will be blocked is uncomfortable. Only the first two players are in charge of the fate of the last two. The rest of them just need to wait to hear the results.

“I-“ Kyungsoo swallows hard on the lump in his throat, “I trust them to save Jongin, but I’m just so, _so_ afraid that he’ll leave today because I trusted the wrong people.”

It’s been long time since the last time he has been this nervous for someone else. Only if he could talk to Jongin, he wouldn’t be so paranoid.

“Whatever the verdict will be — and I’m sure it’ll be a good one — there’s no way it’s your fault. Honestly, your existence in the Circle is more of a reason to keep him here.” Jongdae’s calmness is something Kyungsoo tries to absorb himself with, having lukewarm results.

His words were meant to make Kyungsoo relax, but as he thinks it through in his head, he gets even further from finding peace. Jongin and Kyungsoo’s relationship could be a reason to get rid of one of them just because they’re more secure together.

“What do you think, is Jongin scared right now?” The decision-making has taken longer than Kyungsoo thought it would. It’s not that hard?

“I think that he’s focusing more on Yongguk and making sure he won’t be lonely”, Jongdae starts carefully, “I feel like he knows he’s more likely to continue, but isn’t scared if that wouldn’t be the case, as it’s a fact one of them has to leave. I think the most he fears is for you — if you’re left here without him.”

Kyungsoo nods vigorously as he doesn’t have any words in him left. That sounds like the Jongin he knows — heart like gold.

“I also think that he’d feel sad over the fact how upset you’re for him.”

Kyungsoo chokes up because he knows it’s true. He has no reason to be scared. This is the way of the Circle and it’s not like there’s not a world outside of it.

For the sake of Jongin, and his own dignity, he straightens his back as he wipes the tears that never fell. Couple of deep breaths later he’s feeling more stable and like himself.

The glasses need a wash, but he won’t get up from the couch until the results are in, so he ends up rubbing them against the hem of his shirt. The quiet is deafening until the screen wakes up with and alert that makes Kyungsoo spasm.

They’re all moved to the Circle chat to hear what Sehyoon and Miyeon have decided while dining. The dots indicate that Sehyoon is the one breaking the news tonight. It’s no surprise after Miyeon did it last time.

SEHYOON: _Today we had a different kind of a choice than influencers usually have_

SEHYOON _: We had to choose one of two players to be blocked_

SEHYOON _: Our choice was, unfortunately_

“I really am not feeling this suspense”, Kyungsoo grimaces and silently begs for this to be over already.

SEHYOON: _Yongguk_

Both Kyungsoo and Jongdae let out relieved breaths that they were holding in. Kyungsoo’s muscles relax and he crumbles to rest his forehead on the coffee table. Nothing will be better than a good night’s sleep after this day. If someone can explain how a day can feel like a week, Kyungsoo is very happy to listen.

OOO

“I want to talk to Jongin”, Kyungsoo mumbles as he rubs his eyes. It’s too goddam early for any of the Circle’s antics. It hasn’t been ten minutes since the lights turned on and Kyungsoo’d bet anything they’ve been woken up earlier than ever before.

He’s not mentally or physically ready to start the day with an alert that can’t be anything great. If he has to do something, he’d love to express his happiness to Jongin for his continuation in the game.

“Maybe later?” Jongdae offers as he yawns through the sentence. The shift has been rough on him too.

Kyungsoo is about to ask when is later, but the screen changes before he can even start. It takes him a moment to comprehend the words as he’s still too groggy from sleeping so deeply.

“Wait-“ Kyungsoo’s jaw hangs in disbelief, “Did I read that right?”

Jihyo, their newest contestant, will be the last player to enter the Circle. Now the only people walking from the Circle’s doors will be those, who have been blocked. Has he survived that long already?

“One of you will be the winner of the Circle Korea”, Jongdae announces in the same way as the producers did four months ago when Kyungsoo was auditioning. It reminds him of something he has to ask.

“It’s too early to count but I’m pretty sure there hasn’t been 20 contestants — fifteen tops.” Kyungsoo wonders. What happened to the rest?

Jongdae’s silence tells Kyungsoo that he’s thinking on what to say, “You don’t know?”

Kyungsoo frowns and scoots to the edge of the bed, getting ready to inspect Jihyo’s profile, “No?”

The Circle opens Jihyo’s profile without any commands thanks to Jongdae who continues his silence. Jihyo seems normal on the first impression as Kyungsoo takes a look at her profile.

“Oh, right! You were in the original lineup from the start, so of course you don’t know!” The producer laughs abruptly, giving Kyungsoo a scare, “We brought many contestants, so the producers can put in the most suitable people.”

“Why though?” Kyungsoo doesn’t see the point. Doesn’t that make the show even more orchestrated as the people entering have been chosen specifically?

He pulls Nini from his leg closer and avoids more eye contacts with the new player, so he can react better.

“The players haven’t gotten any instructions or any insider information so they have the exact same resources as you when you started”, Jongdae explains, “Imagine scenario like this: the starting cast is really quiet and they give zero content; it only makes sense the new player will be someone with an aggressive personality to liven up the game.”

Kyungsoo gets the producer’s perspective — they can’t afford a boring show — but he still thinks that it would be more authentic if the contestants would be the few selected. Still, he can’t be too mad. If the game wasn’t like it is, he could’ve stayed with a bunch of Jacksons the whole game, without Jongin.

“I acknowledge the choices that have been made.”

Now, that the topic has been handled, he locks his eyes to the screen where Jihyo has been waiting. She’s twenty-three and single, that he already read when he overlooked the whole thing. Her pictures fit together really well and she’s very gorgeous.

“The bangs look good and I rarely see people rock pink hair but that’s awesome”, Kyungsoo wraps himself inside the blankets to keep the morning chill out, “She’s cute and approachable in the first photo, waving and all.”

Her smile is very mild and very rehearsed — not in a bad way — but her cool expression fits her too in her second photo. The photos have different tones to them. The blue-themed is very natural and sweet when the pinkish is very attractive and seductive with the pink flowers right next to her face adorned in full make-up.

“ _Something you don't have to search far away but something in front of your eyes: no matter who looks at it, it's me who is worthy <3”,_ Kyungsoo reads and squeezes Nini’s arm, “Why don’t I get it? The end just makes me feel like she’s very self-centered even when I don’t get those vibes from her otherwise.”

Kyungsoo slightly regrets his _#BalladSingerAtHeart_ as he sounds really old with it. On the other hand, it’s like the bios have collectively gotten better and different from the ones that they had in the beginning.

“I’m really conflicted as I really feel like I trust her even with that sketchy bio of hers.” He groans and rests his head on Nini’s. His inner debate is paused as Hyuna sends him a chat invite.

“How is it? Decline or accept?” The older man prompts from the speakers as Kyungsoo progresses the new turn of events.

“Circle accept Hyuna’s chat invite”, Kyungsoo sighs and shakes himself more awake. It dangerously looks like he can’t talk to Jongin anytime soon.

HYUNA: _Good morning!_

HYUNA: _Sorry if I am brothering your morning routines but I felt like we haven’t gotten to know each other yet!_

_“It’s a little early”,_ Kyungsoo answers honestly as he has no reason to try and please her, _“But no, you’re not interrupting as I haven’t started yet.”_

  
HYUNA: _That’s a relief! I’m an early bird so I’m always causing trouble for it_

It doesn’t fit the image Kyungsoo had of her, but who says party girls can’t be morning people?

  
HYUNA: _I have tried to learn to do things alone until others are awake like reading or running_

KYUNGSOO: _What do you read usually and is running like a hobby or…?_

“She’s not exactly what I thought she’d be.” Kyungsoo pulls Nini onto his lap and rests his head again on him, making his glasses push up. “She’s more Hye-Jin than she’s Yuri, if I had to compare.”

  
HYUNA: _Just a hobby! And reading — I’m a slow reader and can’t comprehend texts well, so it’s more like practice than reading for fun_

_“Whether or not it’s for fun, I think it’s admirable that you’re willing to better yourself by going out of your comfort zone.”_ Kyungsoo’s words come straight from the heart, _“For one, I know I’m terrible at it myself.”_

“Is this the one you thought was a bitchy party girl?” Jongdae speaks up, “I know it’s not that fun being the player, having judge people and all, but I have to say it’s fascinating how opinions change.”

Kyungsoo can’t say he has done complete 180 degrees change on her, but she isn’t a bitch. Nobody here is.

  
HYUNA: _All changes start from the little things — I’m fortunate enough to be surrounded by people that love change_

HYUNA _: AND knowing that about yourself is a start too!_

Kyungsoo thinks about her words. She’s right about how people around him affect him; just like he has now understood how stiff he’s with new things after spending time with Baekhyun, Jongdae and most importantly Jongin, who has made him _want_ to change for the better. He’s not saying Minseok is against change — it’s more like they never needed change, everything was good like it was.

  
KYUNGSOO: _Being here and honestly, meeting Jongin, has been the start for me_  
KYUNGSOO: _I used to suck with emotions and deny I had any, but now I want to give back as much affection as I’ve been given by him. Saying this now is really embarrassing but I have to start somewhere, don’t I?_  
  


The heat on Kyungsoo’s face is inevitable as he waits for the three dots to disappear when Hyuna’s reply comes.

HYUNA: _You’re doing fantastic_

HYUNA _: I’m sure Jongin can understand your feelings even if you can’t word your emotions yet, as I can hear how much you care and I’ve known you for a day_

OOO

“Can’t a man eat breakfast without any interruptions?”

Kyungsoo is in the middle of fueling himself for the day as a new invite comes through. This time, it’s from Jihyo.

“It’s though being popular.” Jongdae swallows part of his breakfast sandwich, “Can’t relate.”

Kyungsoo rolls his eyes as he knows it’s nobody else’s than Jongdae’s phone that vibrates on the table ten times an hour, which is more notifications than what Kyungsoo gets normally in a day.

As his mouth is full of food, he tries to gesture with his hands for the producer to open the chat, “We got to work on our telepathy”, Kyungsoo sighs as he doesn’t get it. “Circle accept Jihyo’s invite to chat.”

Kyungsoo can’t comprehend how there has been a new player and two chats with other players than Jongin, even if it was his main goal of the morning. No matter what happens, he’ll talk to him after this.

JIHYO: _Mornings!_

KYUNGSOO: _Hi! Fancy to talk to you so early_

Kyungsoo’s not being sarcastic, per se — it is a compliment to be talked to right after she has entered the game. The thing he’s curious the most is the fact why him and not Miyeon or someone else.

  
JIHYO: _I’m trying to talk with everyone briefly today, so I’ll catch up on you quickly_  
JIHYO: _You’re already the third person I’m talking to this morning!_

“It seems like she knows she has to form connections and quick if she wants to stay in the game longer than an episode.”

Kyungsoo nods, agreeing with the older guy’s words. If she’s going through her list of importance, third isn’t a bad placement, “ _That’s a good pace you’re keeping up with… Who have you talked to before me?”_ It can’t hurt to know.

  
JIHYO: _The first person was Sehyoon and then it was Jongin! They’re both very charming, are you close with them?_

“I’m surprised neither of them spilled the beans on me and Jongin”, Kyungsoo wipes his mouth and laughs, “Both of them love to flaunt it around.”

  
KYUNGSOO: _They didn’t tell you?_  
KYUNGSOO: _They’re both in my top three_

“You’re not telling her either? Why?”

“I’ll let her figure out on her own. I trust Miyeon to spread awareness.” Kyungsoo doesn’t know how he would even bring it up. _Actually, I have a thing with Jongin —_ doesn’t do it any justice.

  
JIHYO: _Then you know about the rumors around Jongin that Sehyoon told me about, right?_

Time seems to slow down. Kyungsoo has to put his spoon down so it won’t start shaking in his trembling hands. The temperature is above normal inside his apartment, but he can still feel his blood running cold, _“What rumors?”_ He doesn’t have enough time to send the message when Jihyo continues.

  
JIHYO: _I know Sehyoon said I shouldn’t talk to anyone about this but if you two are close I guess it’s okay_

JIHYO _: The fact that Jongin has tried to get it on with almost everyone makes me feel strange, but he was **so** sweet to me!!!_

****

“It’s all a big misunderstanding, right Jongdae?” Kyungsoo’s laugh sounds way too hallow to be real. The weight in Kyungsoo’s chest makes it harder to breathe every silent second that passes when Jongdae doesn’t answer.

  
KYUNGSOO: _What did he say_

Kyungsoo wants to know what she has to say before doing anything radical. She could be bluffing for what he knows.

  
“ _First he talked about how he wants to get to know me more because my photos made him smile genuinely since a long time ago”,_ Kyungsoo gasps for air when he moves on to the next message, _“I was suspicious at first — you know because of the rumors — but he seemed so genuine.”_

JIHYO: _I knew I fell right away when he told me he had been looking for someone special during the time he was here — and he’s sure he found that someone in me_

JIHYO: _AND!!!! He promised to win for me, so I’d have to learn to dance with him… he made it pretty clear he had hard time staying inside his apartment_

“Jongdae, I-“, Kyungsoo’s voice cracks as the first tear finally falls down, “Who am I supposed to trust now?”

He’s not sad —at least he doesn’t think he is. His mind is a big mess and he’s confused and hurt and angry but mostly; he’s empty. The tears just keep falling without any reason, faster than he can wipe them off.

“Kyungsoo”, Jongdae sighs, “I don’t know. I want to tell you, but I don’t know any better.”

  
KYUNGSOO: _That’s cute_  
  


Kyungsoo forces the words out of him. He has to talk to Jongin, now more than ever.

KYUNGSOO: _I’m sorry for the mess you’re about to get pulled into._

He leaves the conversation before Jihyo can ask what’s wrong. Kyungsoo wouldn’t be able to answer her.

Sehyoon has been acting differently for a while now and if this is the reason, it’s very understandable. Must be hard to support something that never even started. When it comes to Jongin — Kyungsoo wants to deny everything that Jihyo revealed, but how could he? This is a game, and everyone is playing with high stakes.

Higher the risk, higher the reward.

“Invite Jongin to a chat”, Kyungsoo blinks fast to clear his vision. Jongdae must be reluctant to obey as he takes his sweet time.

JONGIN: _Kyungsoo! It’s a surprise you’re starting the conversation_

JONGIN: _To what do I owe this honor_

Kyungsoo really hates the way Jongin makes his heart jump, even in a situation like this.

KYUNGSOO: _I heard you talked with Jihyo_

KYUNGSOO: _How did it go_

The time that Jongin takes to reply seems awfully long and Kyungsoo’s brain is telling it’s because he has to come up with a cover story.

JONGIN: _Good I’d say — she was nice and I’m sure we’ll get along_

JONGIN: _If I’m honest, she may rise right to the top — after you of course_

JONGIN _: There’s no way someone would overthrow my special someone_

The word _special_ probes the open wound that is Kyungsoo’s heart and his whole body convulses as he fights to keep the new wave of tears away. As it doesn’t help, he quickly gets up from the kitchen table to move onto the couch, where he can curl up.

_“Do you ever mean the things you say?”_ Kyungsoo explains his words, “ _According to Jihyo, you said she’s the special person for you. And that you want to teach her to ‘dance’ because she makes you smile no one else. SOUNDS FAMILIAR?”_

Kyungsoo tries to keep himself in check, as he doesn’t want to fight. He wants answers.

“ _Kyungsoo, you know I’m not like that. I’d never say something like that, especially now.”_

_“I want to believe you, I do.”_ Kyungsoo sniffs hard and knows this will be in the show for sure — and it’ll hurt like a bitch to see himself like this again. “ _But how do I do that? How do you prove anything in the Circle?”_

“Would it be better to stop this now?” Jongdae pleads and Kyungsoo wants to cry more because it sounds like Jongdae is hurting too, for him.

“Just a moment”, Kyungsoo pats his swollen eyes under the glasses, “I need some type of closure, for now.”

JONGIN: _Do you trust me?_

_“That’s unfair Jongin and you know it.”_ His answer is making Kyungsoo think that what Jihyo told him was right.

OOO

“I want a clear answer now,” Kyungsoo croaks, “is this an expose-game?”

He has had enough of revelations for the day and it’s not even noon yet. _State your case_ sounds awfully lot like a tea-full time.

“That depends on you.”

“Yes or no?”

“Yes, no.” Jongdae’s answer makes Kyungsoo huff out a breath but decides to leave it there. Sleep would do good for him now — sadly, it’s not an option here.

The game moves on from the first screen and reveals the instructions next. It’s definitely not as bad as Kyungsoo thought.

“I wonder who’ll get to start?”

One by one the players will have to @ someone they see as their biggest rival and try to convince the others why they should win more than the player they tagged.

HYUNA: _My biggest rival is @EUNKI, because we came in at the same time and had to compete for attention from the start_

HYUNA: _I should win because I’m less likely to lose the prize money #NoOffence lol_

“She did wisely, staying light-hearted”, Kyungsoo lifts his legs against the wall and tries to get more comfortable on the floor. He’s not sure how he ended up there, but the cold and hard surface is surprisingly comfortable under his back.

“Her answer is very convenient in every way; her reasoning and player of choice are both logical”, Jongdae muses just when Eunki’s one-allowed reply comes.

EUNKI: _TT I don’t have anything against that except that I don’t think it could disappear from my bank account just suddenly,,,,,, right????_

Kyungsoo squeezes his eyes shut from the pure cuteness overload he’s experiencing. This is what he wants to indulge himself in, not the toxicity he ended up with. Should he start only hanging around with Eunki and Miyeon from now on?

CHUNGHA: _This goes @KYUNGSOO!_

CHUNGHA: _I chose you because you’ve been so authentic from the start_

CHUNGHA: _And the reason why I should win is because I started badly but now, I’ve made some character development and I should be rewarded for it!_

Kyungsoo wasn’t prepared to answer so soon so he hurries to come up with something else than ‘ok’. “ _It’s what I do best — but you’re right about yourself, that’s something you should be really proud of.”_

“When was the last time you talked? I feel like it was a forever ago:”

Jongdae has a point; it wasn’t yesterday, that’s for sure. He sort of misses talking to her, but for now, he wants to be left alone.

Laying on the floor makes it hard for him to see the screen so he notices accidentally that he has missed a whole conversation. He was figuring out where to put his hands and ended up putting them under his lower back for support.

HYE-JIN: _@MIYEON you’re the sweetest and gat along with everyone here! There’s not much for me to say but I’d use the money for a good cause_

MIYEON: _PLEASE I’ll cry, thank you!! I’d never doubt that you didn’t think hard how to use it_

The exchange confirms Kyungsoo’s thoughts on hanging around Miyeon. She’s positive vibes in a nutshell.

SEHYOON: _@KYUNGSOO We’ve been friends since the start and we’re very similar in a sense so you’re my biggest rival as we mostly share the same friends_

SEHYOON: _Why I should win over you is because (with love) I’m less judgmental_

“I’m not sure what part of that is a joke”, Kyungsoo swings his legs down and gets up, “Yesterday, I’d have been honored with a twinge of offence — now I’m really holding in what I really want to say.”

KYUNGSOO: _Unfortunately, I’m not judgmental enough as I seem to have two-faced back-stabbers around me_

“You couldn’t hold back?”

“Is it that obvious?” The answer is sarcastic. That is the only emotion Kyungsoo has allowed himself to feel for now. He’ll die of dehydration before the day ends otherwise.

Still, Kyungsoo is glad that only one reply is allowed, and only from the person being tagged. The mess it would’ve been already without that rule — even if it only delays the inevitable.

EUNKI: _@JONGIN,,,,,, You’re so so so cool and handsome: all the things I’m not ,,, and charismatic as well! I only have my cuteness and bright personality~~_

JONGIN: _Don’t exaggerate that much lol AND being cute surely keeps you out of unnecessary troubles…_

“Was that or was it not directed at me”, Kyungsoo cracks his back and crosses his legs, “I’m going to pretend he said nothing.”

Kyungsoo doesn’t care, but if he did, he would’ve felt a pang in his heart because that sounded like Kyungsoo was the unnecessary trouble. His eyes need a few extra blinks to stay clear enough for him to see it’s his turn now.

“I want to direct my message to Miyeon.” Kyungsoo breathes deeply to clear his thoughts, “ _@MIYEON, my biggest rival, you’re not the all-time favorite for no reason… I deserve to win more because unlike you, I don’t have good looks on my side — I’m not completely oblivious to the fact.”_

Kyungsoo waits for her answer as he looks at the paintings on the walls he never looked properly before. There’re a ton of them only in the living room and even when they’re all different sizes and colors, they all blend together fairly well.

MIYEON: _Kyungsoo… I feel like I don’t say it enough but you’re really amazing inside out! (PS: the money doesn’t flow to me just because of my face TT WHY)_

“I’ve decided. It’ll be Miyeon-time after this. She’s the only one I care about for reals for now.” Kyungsoo leaves out the part where ‘for now’ means the time Sehyoon — and Jongin — are locked securely in Kyungsoo’s ‘Don’t think’-box.

JIHYO: _My biggest rival is @MIYEON because she’s best friends with everyone I’ve talked with right now, which is the same reason I should stay in the game longer: so, you’d get to know me better!_

“I believed she’d say Jongin, but I guess you wouldn’t put your love interest as your biggest rival.” Jongdae chuckles and Kyungsoo agrees 100%. His thoughts copied and pasted into the producer’s mouth.

MIYEON: _I’m overwhelmed with all the tags… I don’t want to steal anyone from you, so we should get to know each other too <33_

The one person’s answer Kyungsoo is yearning and dreading to read is of course the last as Miyeon continues as her turn comes second to last.

MIYEON: _The one and only @SEHYOON, you’re an amazing person to the extent that you’re my biggest rival_

MIYEON: _I should beat you because I’m the most popular in numbers which is the Circles idea ? right ? And I’d by a house for my mom!_

“If it wasn’t Miyeon talking, I would’ve been severely concerned for her strategy”, Kyungsoo smiles, even if it’s a small smile.

SEHYOON: _You’re lucky you’re cute — from anyone else’s mouth that would’ve been too daring_

He and Sehyoon do share the wavelength and it hits Kyungsoo again how disappointed he will be if their friendship will end before they can even talk about what happened once. He really doesn’t want to, but he’ll have to open the chest of sadness sooner than he planned.

A deep silence fills the air as the final player casts his answer.

“I guess you wouldn’t put your love interest as your biggest rival, was it?” Kyungsoo fells like the biggest clown in the television history.

JONGIN: _My biggest and only rival @KYUNGSOO… You’re honest and straight-forward — the top qualities of the Circle’s winner_

JONIGN: _I should win instead of you because I’ve promised to do so_

“This just pisses me off.” It’s like he’s just fucking around subtly because Kyungsoo confronted him fairly. He even brought up the promise he made which he didn’t specify to whom he made it to. Perhaps, to both of them?

KYUNGSOO: _Love the sound of bullshit <3_

OOO

MIYEON: _KYUNGSOO what was **that**?!_

KYUNGSOO: _Me being sarcastic_

MIYEON: _I figured. Why though? Is everything all right?_

Kyungsoo shakes his head, as he has no idea how to break the news to Miyeon while Sehyoon is just waiting for him to explain. It didn’t take ten minutes after the end of the game when Miyeon sent out the request to chat to both of them.

KYUNGSOO: _There’s a good chance Jongin has been lying to me the whole time and Sehyoon allegedly has heard similar rumors and spread them forward._

SEHYOON: _Who told you that?_

He stares at the screen before he has to avert his eyes. “He didn’t deny.”  
  


KYUNGSOO: _Jihyo when we talked this morning. Said you asked her not to tell anyone else_

MIYEON: _WAIT WHAT_

MIYEON: _Sehyoon, is this true? And what about Jongin? What has he done?_

“I really hope Sehyoon has a logical reason for everything and this all is cleared out immediately.”

Kyungsoo doesn’t dare to voice his hopes out loud like Jongdae but that would be the ideal outcome. His coffeemaker beeps, letting him know it’s ready. He’ll pour himself a cup of coffee before he answers to Miyeon about Jongin.

SEHYOON: _Today, I talked to her and said that Jongin has talked to someone quite seriously and yes, I asked her not to talk about it to others because I wanted you to be the one to tell what’s going on for once_

“ _That sounds legit. Maybe she just misunderstood or straight-out lied”,_ Kyungsoo takes a tentative sip of the hot drink with his classes fogging up immediately, “ _I’m not going to lie, your words still aren’t enough for me to blindly trust them. Right now, I have no idea who’s speaking the truth and who’s lying.”_

  
MIYEON: _That feeling is completely valid Kyungsoo! I’m sure all of us would feel the same — but I’m not saying that I, personally, don’t trust Sehyoon, I just understand your point of view_

“I’m fine with Miyeon’s opinion because she’s right and honest about it.” Kyungsoo has no rights to control the other’s feelings towards Sehyoon or Jongin as they have to make their own judgments. Especially here.

SEHYOON: _Then I can’t say anything to change your mind Kyungsoo_  
SEHYOON: _Can you now tell what’s up with Jongin?_

No matter what happens, Kyungsoo won’t cry. He has succeeded fairly well until now, even when it seems like his and Sehyoon’s friendship is seeping through his fingers at a fast pace.

KYUNGSOO: _Going back to the rumors — I’m not saying that you said them — Jongin has apparently talked to others besides me_  
SEHYOON: _But can they be true if I didn’t say anything like that to her? Who would’ve told her?_

“If he didn’t tell, then no one”, Jongdae hums but continues with a melancholic tone, “But how do we know he’s telling the truth?”

Kyungsoo’s thoughts exactly. He gulps his coffee down on his feet and puts it on the counter with a big thump. His bed feels like the appropriate place to have the rest of the conversation.

  
MIYEON: _Let’s listen to the end before we comment anything, okay?_

Kyungsoo races to the bed, tripping onto his feet before crawling under the soft and safe covers. Nothing can hurt him there.

_“In essence, she was able to tell me the nice things he has told me, because they were the exact same things, he had courted her with.”_ His eyes catch a hold of Nini, who’s in a heap of limbs on the floor. It’s the one thing from Jongin he has, that Jihyo doesn’t.

  
SEHYOON: _I’m sure this isn’t that black and white, you must have misunderstood_

The producer gasps and Kyungsoo has to hold in a whimper. That’s the last thing he wants to hear from Sehyoon, of all people.

  
MIYEON: _Of course, I can be wrong but that doesn’t sound like Jongin at all! The way he always talks about you, even when you’re not present screams that he adores you…_  
MIYEON: _Sehyoon, I’m sure both of us know this can’t be just a Kyungsoo’s misunderstanding_

“Talked; screamed; adored — they should be in the past tense.” A part of him is ecstatic because nothing is a better sign of someone liking you than them talking about you to others with affection. The part that is in the reigns now just bleeds harder to grieve the fact that everything is ending. _“I know. It’s the Circle though, so his recent comments show how much he actually cares about his **biggest rival.** ”_

SEHYOON: _Kyungsoo’s misunderstanding or not, I’m on Jongin’s side now, I’m sorry_

SEHYOON: _Something is not right, and I won’t believe it’s Jongin_

_“Then that’s what you’ll do. As I said before, I don’t know who’s right and who’s wrong, so I only trust myself.”_ Kyungsoo can feel that this will be the end. His tears start to gather.

MIYEON: _I don’t want nor can choose sides_

MIYEON: _I care about both of you more than I probably should, and I do **, I do,** understand your views but I really hope both of you try to see past these ‘sides’ you just created — It’s the Circle: EVERYONE lies here, do we want it or not_

MIYEON: _We must be able to forgive and understand, because otherwise we’re all just alone and I bet we all know what happens then. Nobody wants to be alone here._

Fuck Miyeon with her huge heart and words that Kyungsoo wants to deny but can’t. Fuck Sehyoon; Jongin; Jihyo, who came and messed everything. Fuck the Circle for allowing all of this happen. Fuck his heart that still clings onto hope that this is just a bad prank and Jongin will come back to him with his sweet words and warm heart.

The chat closes and Kyungsoo allows himself to break down, properly, to feel his sadness and anger and everything else that he has harbored inside him. The tears are staining his pillow with snot running down on his chin. His body feels like it might break by the force of his cries.

The silence isn’t cold or hallow now: Kyungsoo can feel Jongdae’s presence and empathy even when he’s far away. He knows the producer feels his pain and lives all the heartache through the screens. Oh, how he wants for this to end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey loves!  
> I'M SORRY FOR THE ANGST pls don't be angry (it won't end here,,,, it wasn't my original plan but here we are)  
> School is kicking ass but as I get used to the new stuff everything is stabilizing itself and I get more time to write! Although, this chapter is all thanks to the fact I was sick from Monday till Friday so I had a ton of time to write and do other stuff in advance. No worries though, I got tested and it wasn't corona but the seasonal flu:)  
> The 9th chapter originally was supposed to be out on Sunday (it won't be because all by deadlines are long overdue) but if my gut feeling is right it'll be released the week after next week as I'm booked full next week TT  
> BUT I CAN'T BELIEVE ONLY FOUR (4) CHAPTERS LEFT!?!??!?!?!? AAAAAA I'M SO HYPED (+A BONUS THAT WILL COME OUT WAY AFTER THIS IS FINISHED because I have a new Kaisoo fic brewing in my mind currently!! (stay tuned for updates on that))  
> I hate advertising but I HAVE to tell you: I've streamed the past 72 hours straight A.C.E's comeback called Favorite Boys (Sehyoon aka Wow is a rapper, vocalist and a dancer in that group) and they really deserve the world! You won't be disappointed so please check them out, they sort of remind me of EXO with their fashion and musical style (just me? okay.)   
> Otherwise, don't follow my footsteps and stay healthy instead! See you in the next chapter !<3


	9. EP 9: SUPERINFLUENCER

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kyungsoo has to rethink his friendships and face the consequences of his choices.

“The puppy wants to talk to you.” Baekhyun probes gently.

The news hit him hard when Jongdae explained Kyungsoo’s outer appearance, even when he wasn’t present when it all happened. 

“Accept his invite.” Eunki’s energy is something he needs now, even if it’s only to create an illusion of happiness.

EUNKI: _How are you holdin’ up?_

EUNKI: _I understand if you feel like my questions are too much_

“How the fuck he knows?” Kyungsoo rolls onto his back so he can see the television without any troubles, “ _What_ does he know?”

KYUNGSOO: _Like Lana Del Ray sang: hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have_

KYUNGSOO: _I’m not a woman but you get my point_

“If he thinks I’m a catfish because of that, I don’t care.” He doesn’t care about many things nowadays. _“Ask away, whatever you want to.”_

EUNKI: _I feel like laughing because of that woman thing and I know I shouldn’t_

KYUNGSOO: _That seems to be a theme in my life — I don’t care; laugh all you want_

“You sound really depressing.”

“Don’t I have a reason? If he knows already, why pretend everything is going well?”

“Touché.” Baekhyun admits defeat and huffs out a laugh.

EUNKI: _But I don’t want to :((_

EUNKI: _You are hurting and that’s not nice_

_“Sometimes life has to hurt,”_ Kyungsoo convinces to more himself than Eunki, “ _so the ups feel even better.”_

EUNKI: _My mum always says the same thing_

EUNKI: _I’m sorry I didn’t come to talk to you when Jongin told me your guys’ thing wasn’t serious and the comments were just jokes — I didn’t know the truth about you until I talked to Chungha_

“I’m not sure if this was a good idea Baekhyun.” He has to rest his forehead against his knees to gather himself before he speaks again. Crying is tiring and it hurts his throat and eyes. 

“If there’s no sudden eye-opening facts told, Jongin will be blocked sooner than later and you can focus on winning the whole shitshow.” Baekhyun tries to cheer him up, “You’ll buy your farm and fulfill your dreams when he’s cast aside by the viewers for what he did to you.”

‘I don’t want that for him.’ Kyungsoo leaves that at its original state - a thought. Baekhyun wouldn’t appreciate his dumb heart.

KYUNGSOO: _I don’t blame you or anyone else for this mess. You didn’t know better and, in the end, this is a game. It was never supposed to be taken seriously. I missed the memo._

EUNKI: _NO KYUNGSOO please don’t think like that! All of us believed in Jongin — just like you!_

EUNKI: _When he went to chat with Jihyo instead of you after the game, I knew we all were wrong_

“So, she’s the priority now? This keeps getting better and better the longer this goes on.” 

Kyungsoo takes his glasses off for a second and presses his palms over his eyes. They must be red and swollen after his meltdowns — he hasn’t and doesn’t want to look.

Everyone he knows, who’ll watch the show will bring this moment in his life up. it’s easy to imagine the headlines: ‘Master Chef judge Do Kyungsoo got his heart broken by a catfish; see the tearful photos!’. Not the coming-out experience he wanted.

As he wallows in self-pity, he remembers his viewers. The grannies will suffocate him with their love — if they accept him — so until then, he must endure. He once mentioned his late-grandmother and they shipped a ton of comfort food to him. Hopefully, they’ll do it again as the cookies were to die for. 

KYUNGSOO: _I can only hope that shows in the ratings…_

EUNKI: _I’m sure it will! People would be dumb for trusting him again_

As the conversation ends naturally, Kyungsoo speeds to exit the chat. That was enough. 

He falls back on the bed to rest his brain. Just like Baekhyun said, this is just the last stretch he must go through to come out as the winner.

His recharge ends when his stomach crumbles. There’s nobody else to cook for him than himself so he forces his eyes open before he wiggles out. Just as he reaches the kitchen, an alert surprises him. It’s the ratings, which won’t take long so he decides against starting before they’re done. 

“This time, I have no idea how the results are going to look.” A shit ton has happened, only inside his circle, “Even I don’t know who I’m going to place and where.”

He despises Jongin and the things he has done — not even mentioning Sehyoon and the gray area they’re on — but he doesn’t have the heart to ditch them straight onto the bottom of the list. 

“I’ll start from the easiest: Miyeon. She’s my rock and I only trust her to get the first place.”

Her profile photo disappears and comes back as the Circle locks his answer. He hasn’t thought about anybody else’s placement yet, but there’re some players he knows he’ll rank high today. 

“I haven’t talked to Chungha in ages and se has a past here, but she and I have much in common — plus, she has shown she has grown and learnt from her mistakes. I hope I’m not wrong about her too, because she’s taking the second place.” Kyungsoo sighs as he debates his next choice. 

There’s Eunki and Hyuna, who came at the same time and they’re both people he likes. Eunki is closer to him than Hyuna, and the younger guy is someone he absolutely adores.

“Circle, place Hyuna as the 4th and Eunki as the 3rd in the rankings.” The placements lock and he’s left with the harder half of the bunch. There’re Jongin, Sehyoon, Hye-Jin and Jihyo left and he has no idea what to do with them.

For one, Jihyo nor Jongin won’t take the fifth place. It’ll be either Sehyoon or Hye-Jin, but he’ll focus on the last places first.

“I hate myself for not being able to put Jongin last.” Kyungsoo pulls the chair out from under the table and sits on it. “I don’t see anyone else than Jihyo taking the last place, with Jongin on the 7th place before her.” 

They can share his feelings on how it feels to get pushed aside for other people. Sharing is caring, right?

“I know my stance with Sehyoon, but I have no idea about Hye-Jin anymore. She’s unbiased with everyone expect Miyeon — whom she adores — but her neutral feels more negative than positive because it’s as if she’s trying to stay out of trouble.” 

“You haven’t even talked to her one-on-one in, like, three days, which is a lot in the Circle”, Baekhyun reminds him of the fact that he had forgotten. According to his memory, the last time was when they were the influencers together, which itself seems like an eternity ago.

If Kyungsoo’s being honest, after the first days he has always forgotten she’s still in the game. They shared their heart to heart talks, but it’s nothing compared to the other players. Placing Sehyoon as high as fifth is borderline too much, but at least Kyungsoo knows what he feels towards him — well not exactly, but he has a hunch — when Hye-Jin is just a wallflower with her previous boldness gone.

“Put Sehyoon to the 5th place and Hye-Jin to the 6th”, Kyungsoo gets up and chooses not to check how the list looks, “Send my ratings.”

OOO

“’Soo~ You got to try at least!” Baekhyun whines octaves higher than the last few times, “The time! Please!”

Kyungsoo is really close to quitting right then and there — he’s trying his best already. The tension is making him bounce his feet against the ground, but it’s only making him lose focus so he wills himself to stop.

“Floor…casket? The first word is floor isn’t it?”

“Yes”, Baekhyun’s tone suggests that he should get it sooner than later, “Basket-beep, base-beep, this is a thing that you can throw.”

“Oh! Floorball!” The timer runs out simultaneously to his yell.

“YES! Thank god, we’re still on track.”

They got four right, and Kyungsoo knows he sucks in everything sport-related so it’s understandable. He is better at explaining too, as they get more points every round with Baekhyun guessing the words.

Kyungsoo is about to turn the hourglass over and pick up his stack of cards when an alert stops their game of Alias. It’s the second invite to talk to Miyeon and Sehyoon today, and he’s considering passing on the opportunity. The game got him thinking other things than what’s going on in the Circle and he’s reluctant to return to the reality.

“Accept the invite.” He knows he has to play the other game too, but he let’s them start talk talking while he plays another round. “Get ready Baek.”

He turns the hourglass upside down and checks the word, ignoring the producer’s protests.

“A long stick with things at the end”, Kyungsoo begins, “You swipe the floor with this.”

“A broom? I don’t know.”

“That’s right! Then-“

He gets interrupted by Baekhyun, who shushes him quite loudly. The conversation has already begun and Kyungsoo should start taking part in it.

“We can keep going if we do it word by word and not with the time — you won’t be able to keep up with both things at the same time otherwise.” 

Baekhyun makes sense so Kyungsoo reluctantly puts the card pile back onto the table and forces himself to face the problems he has.

SEHYOON: _Has Kyungsoo changed his mind?_  
SEHYOON: _If not, I don’t see the point in having this conversation_  
MIYEON: _Sehyoon, **please**_  
MIYEON: _I wanted to try again after our last conversation because I don’t want to lose you two_  
SEHYOON: _I don’t want that either, but what are we going to do when our thoughts differ so much_  
MIYEON: _We’re going to talk like adults_

_“I’m not sure if I’m able to do that yet.”_ Kyungsoo breathes out — he has no energy for this, “ _But I can and will try my best. For you.”_  
  


He probably has to bring up the conversation he had with Eunki, even he really doesn’t want to think about it. If he was at home, he would’ve cooped himself up at home and stored all his feelings and thoughts to the back of his mind until he would be ready to face them. Sadly, that’s not an option at the Circle.

  
SEHYOON: _I can try too, but I have to say that I haven’t changed my mind._

SEHYOON: _I talked to Jongin and I’m now surer than ever. He has done nothing wrong_

“He’s really pushing it, isn’t he? How can he trust Jongin like that?” Baekhyun is irritated on the behalf of Kyungsoo and it makes Kyungsoo smile. He’s such a good friend, he realizes once again.

“ _Well, I talked to Eunki and heard different things, but we all can make our own decisions.”_

Kyungsoo knows he should stop, but he has to say more. Is it masochism? Maybe.

KYUNGSOO: _Or maybe it’s my fault for not understanding that Jongin was just joking and playing around_

MIYEON: _Kyungsoo, I’m more lenient on you but don’t add fuel to the fire_

MIYEON: _And whatever the truth is, IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT_

“I would’ve said it too, but maybe you should listen to her for now. I have a feeling she has a real reason for this conversation.”

“I know, I have the same feeling. She wouldn’t have started this without any point because she knew we would be like this.”

SEHYOON: _Jongin has done nothing wrong and now half of the Players are attacking him_

SEHYOON: _He’s just really confused now; he doesn’t know what he has done wrong and why are you being so distant._

MIYEON: _Let’s not go there now. We can talk about that in a minute, but please behave until then._

_“Okay. Do you have something you want to talk about?”_ Sehyoon says nothing, but Miyeon begins to write. “Baek, explain something while we wait for her.”

There’s a sound of cards shuffled, and Baekhyun begins; “Oh, it’s- I’ll change.” 

“I don’t care. Explain the word.”

It’s a moment's silence, but the producer eventually breathes in and out before starting.

“Um… When you get married and have rings and all that, and you would have two of these.” 

“Best man? Bridesmaid? Parents?” 

“CHANYEOL!”

“Boyfriend?” Kyungsoo doesn’t know what he is talking about so suddenly.

“No, Kyungsoo. This is easy, think.” He’s getting annoyed as usual, but Kyungsoo insisted on the word so he hast to get this right.

“Son-in-law?”

“Almost!” Baekhyun waits for him to guess, but when silence is the only answer, he sighs. “People said Jongin was your…”

Kyungsoo feels a sting in his core as he realizes why Baekhyun didn’t want to explain the word. “...husband.” Oh, what are the odds?

He averts his eyes back to the screen, wanting a new distraction, which may or may not be for the better.

MIYEON: _I do care about the both of you so so so much and I really hope this won’t get in between us_  
MIYEON: _Our time here is limited and I’d hate to see one of us leave without making up properly before that_  
MIYEON: _I really want to be clear: I know you’re feeling betrayed Kyungsoo, and you Sehyoon, feel like this whole thing is unfair and unjustified towards Jongin_  
MIYEON: _So I’m asking you: can we please stick together, trust each other again — not minding what happened with Jongin, because I know the both of you are real and are speaking your own truths, even if they don’t align_  
MIYEON: _I want you two by my side until the finale as selfish as it is_

  
Kyungsoo gets to the end of the messages just as Sehyoon replies, “ _Who could deny you?”_

  
SEHYOON: _I have thought about us a lot and regretted not trying to make peace myself_  
MIYEON: _Kyungsoo?_

_“Getting tangled in this mess was bad but drifting away from you would’ve been as hard in the long run.”_

  
MIYEON: _So that’s a yes from both of you? You promise to stick together through thick and thin?_  
SEHYOON: _From the start until the end, we’ll stay united_  
SEHYOON: _Let’s respect each other and make compromises_  
KYUNGSOO: _That sounds like something that I need very much right now_

“Aww… This is so sweet”, Baekhyun coos, “You really found the right people to stick with.”

Kyungsoo pulls his legs onto the couch so he can hug them. He won’t admit it out loud, but there might be some glassiness in his eyes as he appreciates the friends he has made. He doesn’t know what he did to deserve so amazing people to withstand his emotional rollercoaster. Maybe, they’re the reward for pulling through all the pain and hurt caused by Jongin.

  
MIYEON: _Promise me. No matter what happens — nothing can tear us apart anymore, right?_

MIYEON: _I want you to know that I’ve been 100% with everything I’ve said, and will continue to be_

KYUNGSOO: _I promise._

SEHYOON: _I do too._

“She was acting weird.” Baekhyun agrees with him by humming. 

Kyungsoo knows her enough to know that there’s more to her words than that, but he made his choice and promise, so he’ll stick with them. Somehow the whole conversation feels little out of place. They’re never this serious.

  
MIYEON: _I promise stick with you two too. Even after the Circle._  
MIYEON: _BUT!_  
MIYEON _: Going back to the previous topic, we can now continue._

_“Do we have to?”_ Why can’t this matter already blow over? He doesn’t have the willpower —nor energy— to go through all the possibilities who could’ve said what to who, with what intent, and who misunderstood, and who lied.

  
SEHYOON: _Can’t you reconsider even once? Pretty please…_  
SEHYOON: _It’s so frustrating to see all this unfolding and you’re just idly sitting there_

  
Kyungsoo feels a flash of anger flare inside him. He hasn’t gone through all that shit only to be called out like that. Sorry that he’s trying to get over Jongin, whom he liked a lot until their relationship was revealed to be a lie to get further in the Circle.

KYUNGSOO: **_I’m idly sitting here?_** _I beg your pardon, Jongin didn’t even deny when I asked him_  
SEHYOON: _I-_  
MIYEON: _Boys, behave._  
MIYEON: _But Kyungsoo, I too, ask you to reconsider your choice. BUT BEFORE you get angry, I have evidence against Jongin’s allegations, but I’d prefer for you to find out the truth by yourself_

“What made her change her mind?” 

Kyungsoo wonders the same thing, and a new hope is born inside his fragile heart. Miyeon would never encourage him to do anything harmful, would she?

KYUNGSOO: _You should know that I really hate the group pressure I’m under right now._  
KYUNGSOO: _If he comes to talk to me, I’ll accept his invite._

Baekhyun is close to knocking himself out, just so he couldn’t see further into Kyungsoo’s stupidity. The thought makes Kyungsoo curse himself, because he knows how incredibly dumb, he is objectively. If they’re setting him up even a little bit, he’s playing straight into their hands.

As the answer prolongs, he leans forward enough to get a hold of a new card, and a new word to explain. He leans back to rest his head against the backrest as he flips the card over. 

A shallow laugh escapes his lips and surprise forces his head upright again. “What is something I really shouldn’t do to Jongin without any good reason, but it might do it anyway — which is very unwise from me.”

Baekhyun answers correctly, even before Kyungsoo can finish his sentence. “Forgive!”

“Ten points to you.” He looks up to see Miyeon’s answer after Sehyoon’s.

SEHYOON: _Shouldn’t be too long before you get exactly that… I might have said something_

MIYEON: _Thank you Kyungsoo!!!!! Come talk to me if you don’t get the answers you need for whatever reason_

MIYEON: _And if things won’t work out after this —I give you my word that I won’t bring him up ever again_

He can’t read Sehyoon’s last comment before an alert rings to signal him of Jongin’s chat invite. The burden makes him roll his head back as he signs the producer to do his magic.

“I’ll talk to him after you explain me a word.”

He delays the unavoidable with the excuse that he allows Jongin to speak his thoughts without any interruptions.

“They sing and dance on stages and have a lot of fans.” Baekhyun tries.

“Idols?”

“Not in plural but in singular?”

“An idol.” They both know he’s right so Baekhyun lets the silence push him to look at the screen.

JONGIN: _I feel like we should talk about what’s going on_  
JONGIN: _I’m scared, honestly, of losing us because of this_

Kyungsoo sucks in a sharp breath halfway through Jongin’s messages. He has no right to sound so convincing. Two sides are ripping him apart as he knows Jongin is not healthy for him, but he’s way too cunning to resist fully.

  
JONGIN: _I don’t know what’s up with you and what you have heard about me — I don’t how to make you believe me_  
JONGIN: _Tell me, Kyungsoo, what’s going on_

He needs a second to gather his body and soul. No armor would be strong enough to keep his heart guarded around the younger man, so he won’t even try. “ _I’m just disappointed. And hurt. Really hurt.”_

“’Soo?” Kyungsoo makes a sound to tell him he’s listening. “I won’t interfere with anything during your talk with Jongin. It’s your war to fight.”

“Offer me emotional support afterwards?” He’s slightly terrified to face this all alone, but he knows no other way would be right. 

“Until you get sick of me baby.”

  
KYUNGSOO: _I told you earlier what I heard, and you didn’t even deny anything. Eunki even further supported those allegations and said it was all a joke to you_  
JONGIN: _You were never a joke to me. How could you even think that?_

Jongin doesn’t seem to understand how big this whole ordeal is. It’s not just a rumor that Kyungsoo foolishly believed. More than one people told him the same things, Jongin didn’t try to set things straight and they’re in the Circle. His major trust issues have a solid reasoning in the lie-based game they’re in, why can’t people understand that?

  
KYUNGSOO: _It’s the Circle, Jongin. It’s big enough of a reason to think that_  
JONGIN: _I need you to see that I really do care about you, and it hurts to know I’m hurting you_

“Well, it hurts to hurt, dumbass.” He blinks fast to keep the tears at bay. He’s not sure where the tears are coming from, as his heart’s condition can’t get worse anymore.

It’s the Jongin effect on him. Seeing all the what ifs and could’ve beens of their relationship in their conversation is probably harder than if they just cut it off cleanly.

  
JONGIN: _Yes, I talked to Jihyo. I told her what was going on between us and she must’ve used it against you to cause distrust — just like this_  
JONGIN: _I have never talked bad about you behind your back, only about how incredible you are. Ask Sehyoon, or Miyeon and they’ll say the same_

They did say the same, but Kyungsoo can’t pass on the fact that Jongin knows who he’s close with — it wouldn’t be too hard to figure who should be included in the lie. 

  
KYUNGSOO: _I doesn’t work like that_  
KYUNGSOO: _It doesn’t matter if it’s your, or their words; I need to know who lied_  
JONGIN: _I can’t tell you that…_  
KYUNGSOO: _Why not?_  
KYUNGSOO: _Didn’t you just say it was Jihyo who spread the wrong information?_  
JONGIN: _I did. I just don’t know how much she lied and about what. Just like I don’t know who are in it with her._

Kyungsoo motions aggressively with his hands as he doesn’t comprehend the logic. “This is the exact reason why I can’t trust anyone either, and still it’s me who’s believing wrong people.” So far, it’s Jihyo and Eunki with the most convincing evidence.

He would trust Jongin with his life, in a heartbeat, outside of The Circle. He may be an ass here, but Kyungsoo won’t believe his real personality would be like that too. He has seen too much of Jongin’s real thoughts to believe otherwise — it won’t make the betrayal hurt any less, though.

Kyungsoo has nothing to lose now, even his tears have run out a long time ago. He lays down the last card he has up in his sleeve, leaving him bare in front of the other.

KYUNGSOO: _I love you and I’m terrified. I’m absolutely terrified because I don’t know what’s real anymore._  
KYUNGSOO: _I’m pretty sure we won’t find a solution today, and I don’t want to fight with you_  
KYUNGSOO: _Let’s see how things unfold and keep a distance for a while, okay? I think I need some time to heal_

He is ready to bury his heart with his feelings for Jongin for a while. He has to ask Miyeon what was the important thing, but it can wait as nobody else is offering anything new information either. 

JONGIN: _I’m sorry for everything_

OOO  
  


“Is it already late enough for the sun to go down?”

The day has been filled to the brim with drama and Kyungsoo’s happy to welcome the news of the ratings results. It means that the day in the Circle is coming to an end soon. Tomorrow will be the day he’ll face all the problems and questions he left unanswered today.

“ _However, the results will not be published_ ”, his heart skips a beat. Something is fishy, “Baek?”

His voice indicates his distrust towards the new direction the night is going. _The most popular Player is now a Superinfluencer_. He has heard of this from the previous seasons, but he isn’t ready to face it personally. 

The superinfluencer will have the power to block anyone they want without asking anybody else for an opinion. It’s a one-day dictatorship. 

“Who could it be?”

Miyeon has been continuously ranked high, but there are many new Players, as well as twist and turns in their internal dynamics. If the patterns continue, the newer players will rank lower, leaving him, Sehyoon, Miyeon, Jongin, Hye-Jin and Chungha as the potential superinfluencer.

“I doubt it’s any of the new Players or Sehyoon or Hye-Jin.” Baekhyun words Kyungsoo’s thoughts. “Hye-Jin because she has been so detached from others, and Sehyoon because his popularity hasn’t been high previously.”

“Who will I choose, if I’m chosen?” 

He backs from in front of the balcony and walks in circles around the couch until he decides to sit on it and practice his stone-stance. He glues his eyes to the blue screen before him and hopes new information will pop up.

“Don’t you have two pretty good candidates? One, who has hurt you relatively more than the other.”

Logically thinking, yes. Otherwise, no.

To be given the authority to block someone comes together with the responsibility of ending their game there with no returns. He has all the reasons to choose Jongin —if not for the part of him that wants to cling onto hope. As everyone has made clear, he could be speaking the truth as much as he could be lying. 

“ _The Superinfluencer has made their decision.”_ Kyungsoo reads the words without any emotion as his expression morphs to a surprised one. “It was already chosen?”

“That was quick.”

Kyungsoo must agree. Kyungsoo didn’t have enough time to go through the Players theoretically inside his head, when the superinfluncer had already chosen.

The text disappears and another one takes its place. The Superinfluencer is on their way to meet the Player of their choice. Now.

Kyungsoo’s mind blanks and he speeds to the bathroom to fix his appearance just in case. He has nothing to think about other than getting ready to leave. Right now, he has probably more foes than friends and it’s clear there’s at least one person who’s especially after his ass — was it Jongin or Jihyo, or someone else.

He has moved some of his clothes into the closet but saved part in the suitcase for instances like this. He works on autopilot as he empties the closet one piece of clothing at a time, folding them and setting them into the huge box he calls his suitcase. 

As the bedroom takes back it’s original state Kyungsoo gathers everything from the living room and the kitchen; from his cooking stuff to his forgotten notebook. He knows he’ll forget half of his things, but it doesn’t matter as the Circle will return all of it to him eventually. He lefts out two cups on purpose, as he mixes the hot chocolate for him and his guest. 

“Some people did all this every time we had someone blocked. I don’t know if it’s good or bad that this is my first.”

“You’re privileged in the way you never had to worry about getting blocked properly before, but it’s almost sad that no one ever visited you when they left.” Jongdae’s voice surprises Kyungsoo. By the noise and commotion in the producers’ room he guesses Baekhyun is still there with him. It doesn’t last long before the mic is closed, so he can wait in peace.

Jongdae isn’t usually this early. 

The silence stretches and Kyungsoo wants to say something to break it, but he has nothing intelligent to say so he lets it continue. Finally, he starts sipping the drink in front of him, that makes his glasses fog up.

The mug is almost finished when the screens light up, startling him. He didn’t get a visit, and the weight on his heart drops.

Not because he gets to continue to play, no. The weight drops into his stomach, suffocating him.

Miyeon’s profile has turned grey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I KNOW I'M LATE T.T
> 
> Sorry for the delay and I can't promise but I have a feeling the next chapter will be out in a week, as my exam period starts on Friday! That means I have school only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for two weeks and I only have to go take tests on those days=more time to write!
> 
> And so, the drama continues! aaaaaaaaa I want to write the end already because there's soo much juicy stuff and it almost makes me angry that I can't just magically transport my thoughts onto the screen. (Poor Miyeon btw)
> 
> (I have waited this reveal soooo long because who saw it coming? If you did, please tell me!)
> 
> Who do you think is lying, and who is speaking the truth — Who is the mastermind behind all this, or is this all a misunderstanding? Are there any people Kyungsoo should and shouldn't trust? Please tell what's running through your head right now, because I'm really curious what you believe.
> 
> Lastly, I'm sorry for the quality of my writing, as I feel like it sometimes just goes down the drain without any reason and I'm too impatient to edit this drastically (as it would take forever).
> 
> Stay safe, and see you soon!
> 
> Thank you for reading and staying with me!


	10. EP 10: BUILD THE TRUTH

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kyungsoo does puzzles, gets revenge and forgives people (his favorite day in the Circle so far)

HYE-JIN: _It tells a lot about our Superinfluncer that they blocked Miyeon out of everyone here_

Kyungsoo stares blankly to the kitchen wall. He lost his appetite yesterday and it hasn’t returned yet. When he woke up, he denied everything that happened, but the reality came crushing down when the Circle opened for their statuses and Miyeon was missing from the opening screen.

SEHYOON: _Miyeon never hurt anyone as she was nice to everybody. There’s no other reason to block her than the greed to win_

Both Sehyoon and Hye-Jin are speaking the truth. She is —was— the glue keeping them together and she was friends with everyone since the beginning. Her only flaw was to be popular.

“No matter how hard I try to keep everything from falling apart, something always happens out of my control, leaving even a bigger mess behind.”

It’s as if someone is trying to break his friendships apart, starting from Jongin and Sehyoon, and now to Miyeon. What did he ever do wrong? Has he not gone through enough pain already?

“Who could’ve done this?” Jongdae is as perplexed as he is.

Sehyoon wasn’t the superinfluencer, that’s for sure. He’d be shooting himself in the foot if he was. Kyungsoo wants to think Jongin couldn’t have been it either — if he was; he’s one sadistic piece of shit for leaving Kyungsoo be, but blocking the one person he trusted the most.

JIHYO: _Poor Miyeon, she didn’t deserve getting blocked. Also, @KYUNGSOO I’m sorry for the trouble, I can’t imagine how hard these past few days have been for you, if there’s anything that I can do, just tell me_

Kyungsoo’s expression remains passive even after reading the comment. She gives the impression that she really cares, even if the feed is quite not the right place for it. He rests his aching head against his hands and combs trough his hair a couple of times.

“Is she being honest, or is it Jongin?” Kyungsoo mumbles to himself, “Or is there someone else meddling that I don’t know of?”

A different kind of an alert catches Kyungsoo’s attention and Miyeon’s video message updates onto the top of the feed.

Seeing Miyeon for the first time won’t be easy —if she’s even a little bit sad, Kyungsoo will have a breakdown. Her absence hasn’t been noticeable yet, but now it’ll be as official as it gets. Never will come a better time, so he asks Jongdae to play the video.

“Hello. It’s Miyeon here. Firstly, I want to apologize.”

Silence falls upon the Circle as everyone takes the new information in. The soft and melodic voice gets accompanied by a lean but muscly video of a man, who happens to match the voice perfectly.

“My real name is Jungkook, and I’m 23 years old. Miyeon does not exist.” He’s visibly nervous and gulps loudly. No one dares to say anything. “That doesn’t mean that her words were empty, because everything I ever said or did, came straight from my heart, and I really, _really,_ hope you’ll believe me.”

Kyungsoo has no words. His jaw is on the floor, head empty and pressure surrounding his chest. It feels like the ground fell from under his feet without any warning.

“What my biggest regret is?” The unfamiliar person on the screen asks and pauses to look away, only to look back with a tight jaw and glossy eyes. He breathes sharply through his nose and answers; “I regret everything. I never should’ve catfished because I only realize now how it’ll break people around me. Because of me so many will be hurt — knowing that is worse than loosing.”

Kyungsoo clenches his teeth to keep his jaw from trembling. Jungkook can’t be a bad person and his emotions are really getting under his skin.

“If I have the right to ask for anything anymore, please remember our promise. There are people here who haven’t changed and are only after the money in the end. I got to see it from up close, personally.” The video ends and returns to the feed.

A lonesome tear runs down Kyungsoo’s left cheek and he hastily wipes it off. Kyungsoo must have dried his brain from crying as he is crazy enough to sympathize with the person he thought was Miyeon.

EUNKI: _No matter what you say, I still like Miyeon as much as I did before. Even if she’s a boy called Jungkook._

Kyungsoo stares at the words and finds himself surprised at how much they resonate with him. He’s not mad, nor sad for himself, but for Jungkook and how he’s beating himself up for his choices.

“Like all the comments”, Kyungsoo is shocked, but it doesn’t mean he doesn’t agree.

  
KYUNGSOO: _The things that you can see with your eyes are not all the things that exist. And sometimes that’s not a bad thing._

OOO

“Build the truth?” Kyungsoo wonders out loud, “I haven’t heard of that before.”

Once again, it’s their daily game-time, and today they have to build truths. Whatever that means.

“ _The Players will complete a puzzle of words; things that each player is lying about.”_ Baekhyun reads for him, _“The Players will have different puzzles with the same words, and you’re allowed to communicate.”_

“What’s the point in that? What stops us from completing the task in a minute?”

“But what does it tell about the player that finds the hardest word? Won’t you find the thing you’re hiding the easiest?”

That, or people leave their own word out on purpose. Another reason is revealed when the screen updates. _The fastest player will get to choose two other players that get to share the prize._

“What’s the prize?” He has learnt the hard way not to trust the Circle.

“A video message from home for the winner and two others of their choice?” It apparently comes as a surprise to Baekhyun too, based on his screech.

“People will go ham on this one. I wouldn’t be surprised to see no one sharing words they found.” He himself hasn’t decided whether or not he will say anything.

The screens split and Kyungsoo pulls his notebook out from under his coloring books. Even if he has no idea what he’ll do with the words, it’s good to write them somewhere. Maybe they’ll help him solve his situation with certain someones.

“Eight words for eight players.”

On the right side is the chat, and on the left are the puzzle pieces. They’re nothing like what he imagined as they’re pieces of words instead of actual puzzle pieces. Some parts are vertical and others horizontal, while seven pieces have letters to many directions. Twenty pieces in total with one singular letter ‘s’.

He supposes it’s easiest to find his own word first, which should be about his job, because it’s his only major lie.

“There’s no ‘b’ so it’s my… profession!” He pauses in middle of the sentence to think synonyms for the word job.

Just like he thought, the word comes together, making a ‘p’ stick out on an ‘o’s’ underside. There’s one piece that has ‘hip’ in it, which is most likely a part of the word friendship. He’s quite sure of his thought as there’s also a piece with ‘fri’ in it, so he suggests it.

“Friendship doesn’t work but look at the pieces and you’ll see why.” Baekhyun helps him subtly as he can’t straight-out give out the answers.

Kyungsoo stares at the screen with so much thought he might break the television with his mind only. It takes a few moments, but when it clicks it makes so much sense.

“It’s relationship and friendships.” It was in plural and that’s why it didn’t work with the ending. He’s way too ecstatic to think what it means that someone lies about their relationship, as he’s too keen on winning.

Now he has more clues, as there’re two ‘i’s surrounding the ‘n’ of friendships, ‘tru’ at the beginning of relationship, and ‘n’ after an ‘o’ of relationship, as well as, a ‘t’ after the ‘s’.

There has to be a complete word vertically now, so he tries to put all of them together one-by-one. His efforts are not futile as he works out his fourth word with it. _Opinion_ starting from profession, going through friendships and ending in relationship.

“I have no ideas anymore.” He has hit the hard-halfway of finishing, and he has no way of knowing how long way the others have ahead of themselves.

As if Eunki heard his silent wish, he starts writing.

EUNKI: _One word is ‘identity’_

EUNKI: _Which is quite concerning…_

It’s a word that Kyungsoo doesn’t have yet, so he starts looking for the letters as he processes the meaning behind it. There must be at least an one catfish amongst them, even after Miyeon — Jungkook— left, if not more. The other words haven’t been _that_ alarming yet, as the relationship one he gets, if it doesn’t mean him, because it’s normal to say you’re single so you can flirt your way into the game.

The thought passes his brains and as fast it leaves, another, more terrifying thought comes in. What if Jongin is the one lying about his relationship status? Has he cried his eyes raw here, with Jongin's real significant other watching him do so? It makes him sick to his stomach.

“Identity. ‘Id’, ‘ent’ and ‘ity’.” Arriving to the last three words doesn’t feel good anymore.

JONGIN: _Truth, is another one._

JONGIN: @ _KYUNGSOO please don’t think it’s my word!_

“That sounds a little guilty to me.”

Baekhyun’s words are absolutely correct and Kyungsoo has only a one thing to say: _“Please don’t do this here. Thank you for the word.”_

Does he mean that he’s thankful for Jongin being the reason it was put there in the first place, or telling it to others, he’s not sure himself. It’s easily found as he has to only add ‘th’ to the ‘tru’ at the beginning of relationships.

He has two more words left and he really wants that call, so he focuses his whole being into the game, not minding the messages on the left side of the screen. He from time to time checks if there’re any answers, but otherwise he gives the other player 0% of his thoughts.

“Face — I have no clue what that means, and who is lying about that, but I’m pretty damn sure it’s the second to last word.”

The pieces connect, leaving him with ‘st’, ‘te’, ‘gy’ and ‘ra’. The word has to start with ‘st’ as nothing fits above it. As nothing else fits after ‘st’, he knows ‘ra’, follows the first part.

“STRATEGY!”

His yell must carry out to the other apartments, that’s the decibel of his voice. His puzzle is now complete, and the screen shows that he placed fourth. It’s not bad — exactly in the middle— even though it won’t guarantee a prize for him.

He guesses he has to wait for the others to finish, before he’s told who won and who will be chosen with the winner. He hasn’t much hope, as his allies have lessened these past few days. Sehyoon, and hopefully Chungha, as well as Eunki would give one of the places to him, but he’s not sure at all. Not after all he has been through.

Part of him hopes Jongin would give him the place, but it’d just be disgusting if it was for charity and pity on his part.

“Let’s keep our fingers crossed.” Baekhyun hopes on the behalf of Kyungsoo, who has given up hope a long time ago.

The puzzle is moved aside, as the chat — that he never read— is pulled to its full-screen mode.

Eunki starts to write and reveals himself as the winner.

EUNKI: _The choice is so hard! I can’t imagine how it’s for the influencers to decide who to block…_

EUNKI: _I’m so sorry I can’t choose all of you, but these two people have been really close to me these past few days I’ve known them_

Kyungsoo really could use seeing his mother’s face after a long and though time. No one makes him feel better than her, even if it makes him cry like a baby first.

EUNKI: _The Players I chose are @Chungha and @Jihyo! Congratulations!!!!_

“Since when has he been close with them? Chungha especially?” It’s like the news came right out of the bushes. Has he been that out of the game?

“I believed that he didn’t like Jihyo a lot, or is it just me?”

Both of them are busy being confused by the sudden news to register the game ending. Kyungsoo feels detached after knowing how close he was to see his family again. He is just so utterly tired of being disappointed and hurt over and over again that he doesn’t know what to do.

He has no other way of escaping his thoughts than immersing himself with the mundane everyday things like cleaning and cooking. He wants to pull the problem away from the roots, so he can get rid of it once and for all. Band-aids are best if they’re ripped with a one go, so maybe he needs to do it now, too — no matter how he gets hurt.

The problem is that he has no idea where to start, and what are the criteria for someone speaking the truth. Now he knows that everyone is lying about something, some as big of a things as their identity and ‘truth’, some about their face or strategy. What weighs the most and is there any redemption for those who did lie?

He doesn’t want to admit it to himself, less out loud for the world, but the last question is the one his asks himself late at night. Can he, and would he forgive Jongin if it was all a lie? The answer is something he doesn’t want to know. Either way, there’s no turning back after he takes his stance.

He is woken from his reverie with an alarm for an invite to chat with Sehyoon.

“Accept Sehyoon’s invite, Circle.” He’s not in a position to decline. Not before they’ve talked about case Miyeon.

The subjects they must talk through are heavy enough to make him stand up from the floor and move to the kitchen, As much as he despises baking, chocolate muffins are a sure way to divert his focus.

KYUNGSOO: _Did you know about Jungkook?_

KYUNGSOO: _Because I didn’t._

KYUNGSOO: _Be honest_

He’s not sure what he’ll do with himself if Sehyoon knew. But he’s sure he has to know the truth.

SEHYOON: _No, but for me, it doesn’t change anything we promised or shared_

SEHYOON: _You saw his eyes, didn’t you?_

“ _They were just like I imagined Miyeon’s eyes to be. Full of emotion and innocence.”_

Relief washes over him briefly as he remembers he’s not alone. Sehyoon is with him, and Jungkook too, wherever he’s waiting for them to finish the show. If they’re able to continue like normal after knowing Miyeon’s existence was a lie, can’t he apply some of that trust to somewhere else as well?

SEHYOON: _Together until the end?_

KYUNGSOO: _Till the end._

Kyungsoo pulls out the bag of flours and gathers bowls and other things he needs onto the table. It’s not any hotter than normally, but he can feel sweat starting to form onto his brow bone.

KYUNGSOO: _I suppose we have another matter to talk about as well._  
SEHYOON: _Jongin?_

He is not entirely sure how is he supposed to approach this problem. It’s a widely known fact that his and Sehyoon’s opinions do not align, so both of them have to be careful.

  
KYUNGSOO: _I really want to believe you and Jungkook — I never got to hear what he wanted to tell me — but it’s so incredibly hard_  
SEHYOON: _I get that now! Doing that puzzle made me realize I don’t know anything about you or anyone else with absolute proof_  
SEHYOON: _I can’t imagine how torn you must feel because of everything_

Kyungsoo already feels lighter than when they first started the conversation. It looks like eventually everything will be solved. Some things just need a bigger effort from him than others, so he stops measuring the chocolate and leans his hands onto the kitchen island

“ _I want to find peace now. I’m not sure do I want to know what’s the truth, because I can never know for sure. I’m so tired of all this”,_ Kyungsoo hangs his head as he admits, “I hate that I just want to forgive and move on.”

Baekhyun’s silence tells his opinion. He doesn’t like that Kyungsoo will let his heart do the decisions for him when he has already been hurt so badly because of it.

To Kyungsoo’s surprise there’s a big sigh before the producer opens his mouth, “You know that I don’t like this —it’s bad to see you so broken and not able to do anything. That being said, I’ll support you, because I trust your judgement. You’re not dumb, even if it sometimes feels like that.”

It makes Kyungsoo chuckle; such a Baekhyun thing to say.

  
SEHYOON: _I know I said this once already, but Jongin is in the same situation and he really wants to talk to you once more_  
SEHYOON: _I honestly think you both need it. If not to reconcile, at least to tie the loose ends._  
  


There’s a pause and Kyungsoo knows his answer already. The way his heart clenches at the thought of this being their last conversation, is enough for him to realize: his choice has always been forgiving Jongin — even if everything was a lie. If this was happening to anyone else, Kyungsoo’d try his best to get them back to their senses of how unhealthy this approach is.

SEHYOON: _Should I invite him to chat or do you want to do it alone?_

Kyungsoo prefers to have Sehyoon as his wingman in the beginning so he doesn’t have to make the first move on his own.

  
KYUNGSOO: _You can invite him. You could leave after the beginning to give us some privacy?_  
SEHYOON: _I’ll do that, but I expect you to come into some kind of conclusion with this conversation._

Kyungsoo doesn’t answer anymore, as the invite is sent out to Jongin, but he promises it to himself too. Today he’ll either continue with Jongin or move on. No gray-grounds anymore.

JONGIN: _Is this what I think it is?_

SEHYOON: _All thanks to me_

JONGIN: _I doubt that._

Kyungsoo doesn’t know how much they’ve talked about their situation to know what’s going on from an invite, but it’s a point that Jongin should care. He is not counting them, not at all.

KYUNGSOO: _Sorry Sehyoon, but if I had disagreed this wouldn’t be happening_

KYUNGSOO: _Hi Jongin_

SEHYOON: _Ooh, teaming up against me? I like it so I’ll leave you two to chat_

KYUNGSOO: _Shut up please_

Sometimes Kyungsoo wonders if Sehyoon is the same species as he is. The silence feels awkward after so long. The moment he drops his defenses, there’re only left the two of them and their damaged relationship, one that neither of them knows how to fix it.

KYUNGSOO: _So… Do you have anything to say_

“What do I do? It sounds like I’m demanding an explanation.”

“Isn’t that what you’re after?” Baekhyun is very confused.

“I don’t know what I’m after!”

He wants to move forward, for one, but how that happens — nobody told him. Truth would be nice, or an explanation, but again, how does he know?

JONGIN: _I don’t know what to say_

JONGIN: _I’ve told you everything I know, and I just want you to trust me again_

Kyungsoo pauses mixing the dough and rubs his eyes from under his glasses. Miyeon —Jungkook, he reminds himself— and Sehyoon are on Jongin’s side. Then there’s Jihyo, who has Eunki backing him up. Chungha is probably on the same side as Eunki, them being good friends and the same is probably with Hye-Jin and Sehyoon. He’s not sure about himself or Hyuna, so technically even the statistics are in Jongin’s favor.

KYUNGSOO: _I think I’m beginning to do that…_

JONGIN: _Really, like for real?_

JONGIN: _Please tell me you’re for reals, I’ve waited this for sooo long_

Kyungsoo takes a moment to coo at Jongin’s words. His resolve is crumbling down at an alarming rate.

KYUNGSOO: _I am. I just can’t resist you —SO YOU BETTER NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT_

JONGIN: _Trust me, I can’t resist you either, so I won’t do anything to lose you again_

KYUNGSOO: _If everything went just like you said you have nothing to apologize for_

KYUNGSOO: _That’s my job_

He mixes the dough until it’s ready and starts portioning it. He has to concentrate on something else so he won’t start crying again. He has no words for what he’s feeling now; it’s a mixture of relief and happiness as things are falling into place again.

JONGIN: _Can we agree that it’s neither of us’ fault? Neither of has to apologize_

“ _That’s a deal.”_

JONGIN: _I have to warn you though, Kyungsoo_

Kyungsoo hates how he starts his sentence, as it makes his heart drop for the millionth time.

JONGIN: _This is serious now. I’m going to ask you out when we’re out of here — so if you aren’t ready, please say now that I don’t catch too many feelings_

His message forces a disbelieving laugh out of Kyungsoo, who is struggling with two spoons stuck together because of all the chocolate.

“I didn’t cry my eyes out and tell you I loved you because this is not serious”, he’s happy even when his words indicate otherwise, “Ugh, men.”

KYUNGSOO: _Only then?_

JONGIN: _Oh no, you can’t do that_

JONGIN _: I want to see my boyfriend in real life before I ask him out, sorry, I’m a man of principle_

Kyungsoo could be mad, but if anyone, he gets how much you want to see the truth with your own eyes.

KYUNGSOO: _Don’t disappoint me then_

OOO

HYE-JIN: _Hey! It’s been a while since we last talked…_

HYE-JIN: _I didn’t know how to bring this up, but Jungkook asked me to rely his message to you if anything were to happen to him and now he is blocked, so…_

_“Is this the mysterious thing he had to tell me if I didn’t get the answers, I wanted from Jongin?”_ Kyungsoo puts the book down he’s holding and turns his back to the kitchen to see the screen next to the couch better.

HYE-JIN: _Exactly that! What do you know already so I know where to start_

Miyeon, no, Jungkook outdid himself with this. He was prepared to leave and handled everything well — just in case. It’s not like Kyungsoo thought he’d be careless, but this extent of fore thought is unusual.

KYUNGSOO: _I heard that Jongin talked with Jihyo about us_

KYUNGSOO: _But nothing about how everything became this mess_

“I have high hopes that these news will be positive, as Mi-, Jungkook still liked Jongin and wanted me to reconcile with him.”

“I’m the most curious about how did Miyeon and Hye-Jin know whatever this is?”

Baekhyun brings out an important note that Kyungsoo hadn’t thought about before. Wild ideas start running through his mind as he waits for Hye-Jin’s dots to stop moving. What if Jungkook was double-agent with whoever is responsible for this. What if he’s responsible for everything?

HYE-JIN: _Most important things first, then! Jongin had no part in it. He is speaking the truth and really miserable (not my place, but please talk with him!)_

Kyungsoo is a tiny bit surprised the news haven’t been heard by all the Circle’s contestants yet, their reconciliation having happened like two hours ago. “ _I already have. We’re all good now.”_

HYE-JIN: _So everything is back to normal? Congratulations!_

“’Soo, literally everyone is rooting for you two”, Baekhyun whines, “What’s so special about you? Nobody congratulated me when I got together with ‘Yeol!”

“That can’t be because you rub it into everyone’s face when you meet them the first time?” The amount of sentences that Baekhyun has started with: “My boyfriend…”; “My ‘Yeollie…”; “Chanyeol, the hot boyfriend I have…”, is immense.

HYE-JIN: _Back to business though; short answer —Jihyo is the main culprit and Eunki her side-kick_

“Eunki?” The book falls onto the floor from Kyungsoo’s sudden standing up. He has to check if he read that right.

Out of everyone, _he_ is the second culprit? His faith in his intuition is really on a test.

HYE-JIN: _Jongin had told all the details of your relationship to Jihyo as she asked for them —pretending to be just curious_

KYUNGSOO: _Let me guess, she planned to tell me the same things to cause a rift in our friendship as we took sides_

He’s familiar with this part of the story. They really did everything she wanted them to do.

Part of him is mad that no one put the pieces together earlier but looking back nothing could’ve changed the outcome. Even if Jongin had said he told her _everything_ about them, he wouldn’t have put the plan together with his hurt mentality.

HYE.JIN: _And then Eunki put the cherry on top with his lies supporting the original story_

KYUNGSOO: _I just- We should’ve figured this out earlier_

He’s not the type to regret things but this one stings.

KYUNGSOO: _Before I forget, how did Jungkook know this and does it have anything to do with why he was blocked?_

HYE-JIN: _He dug around a lot, and when I say a lot, I mean it. He turned every stone so he could figure out —you might want to thank him properly_

HYE-JIN: _What comes to his blocking, I don’t know because we weren’t that close. I’d say it was someone else because Jihyo trusted him enough to tell him the plan — Why block him?_

She could be wrong as well, but his —albeit a little untrustworthy— gut feeling tells it wasn’t them. They don’t have a reason big enough. If it was to separate them, why not Sehyoon, who isn’t their ally?

KYUNGSOO: _That’s right… Thank you, Hye-Jin. We owe you one._

Kyungsoo can’t catch his breath after the conversation ends and the screen returns back to normal, before an alert rings again. They must’ve waited for them to stop talking.

“We have ratings again?” It feels way too sudden, it hasn’t been 24 hours since Miyeon aka Jungkook got blocked by the mysterious Superinfluencer.

Thanks to his little chat with Hye-Jin, and the talk with Jongin before that has cleared some things for him.

“The first place goes to Jongin, and mark my words, it’ll stay the same until the final.”

“You’re way too bright for me, seriously, I’m getting a whiplash from your change of moods.”

He has nothing to comment to that. Honestly, he has the right to celebrate after getting his relationship back with explanations as well.

“The second place is for Sehyoon, my teammate and good friend. Thanks to him I got my life back together.”

He browses through the profiles shown on the screen and he has to visit the bottom two just because he can’t stand seeing them without their placements.

“You probably guessed it, our miss snake tongue, Jihyo will gladly be placed to the glorious last place, as 7th. And our dearest, two-faced Eunki will follow her footsteps as he has my 6th place.” Damn, it feels good to see them last. Hopefully the influencers will get rid of one of them tonight.

Kyungsoo is dead set on getting his revenge, for himself and Jongin as well as Jungkook. He knows who to blame for the former problem, so he’ll do everything he can to make it even. In the outside world, he doesn’t get revenge as it is a waste of energy, but in the Circle, the rules are different, and everyone needs to play dirty.

“Now I have these three women left, that I don’t know how to place. I like all of them in a different way, but not anyone more than the others.” Kyungsoo stretches his sides to get his blood flowing into his brains, “You know, I’m going to put Chungha to the 3rd place. I just got the feeling I should do that.”

“Kyungsoo, we both know what your feelings have told before; case Eunki for example.”

He lets the producer’s words fall to the deaf ears. He’s feeling way too hype to be listening to that kind of talk.

“Because of our conversation I’m forgiving her previous silence, and placing Hye-Jin as the fourth, leaving Hyuna to the fifth placement.”

No matter what he tries, the order doesn’t seem to get better, so he checks the numbering once and for all, and asks the Circle to send them in.

OOO

“Jongdae?” He receives a hum to his call, “Can you see where my purple pencil is? I had it here with me like a second ago, but now it’s nowhere to be seen.”

His second picture is almost ready and in an urgent need of this one specific purple.

“Have you checked under the table? Under you?”

“Yes, it’s not there.”

“Is it the one under the coloring book?”

Kyungsoo is about to refuse automatically, because in no way it’s there.

“It’s no- It was there.”

“You’re welcome.”

Both go back to their previous task, Jongdae to his book and Kyungsoo to his tree, working in a full silence. The night has been quiet, almost too quiet, but Kyungsoo soaks the atmosphere like a sponge after the past few days. Breathing seems so much easier nowadays.

Kyungsoo swears to stop thinking about anything if this is not stopping, as an alert breaks his calm mindset. Does he have to start filtering his thoughts as well?

The ratings are here, once again. Oh, please let Jihyo get blocked. He’s quite sure it will happen, because if even one of his friends get to be an influencer —which is statistically quite expected— they’ll all make sure she’s gotten rid of. Today’s points will also give him a hint who could’ve gotten the first place yesterday.

_“Your ratings have decided the fate of one player.”_ Kyungsoo gapes at the words he just said out loud. “No, no. What is this?”

Here comes the stress. Why can’t anything go like normal here?

_“Tonight, the least popular player will be instantly blocked.”_

This fucks everything up. Jihyo has friends, and so does Eunki. There’s only one person that comes to Kyungsoo’s mind that has constantly ranked low, if not the lowest. If he was Hye-Jin, he’d be freaking out. Immensely so.

When the screen changes to tell that the Ratings results are in, Kyungsoo leaves the mess on the table and rises to sit on the couch. It feels safer there. He gets surprised once more when the first placement arrives to the screen. They’re mixing it up properly.

The huge number spins and reveals the familiar face eating French fries and Kyungsoo lets out a scream of excitement.

“Jongin got his first place!” He’s so relieved he could cry. He’s probably safe, and so is Jongin.

The 2nd place comes onto the front of the screen, leaving Jongin behind it. The wait feels like a forever, and Kyungsoo plays with the idea of them sharing their influencer status.

“You too? Congrats, Sehyoon!” His response is immediate and loud. The two most important players in his game got their influencer statuses today, they have reconciled with Jongin and he got to know the truth. Today has already been the best day so far in the Circle.

They look good together, being the only players to be revealed yet.

“Can I dream that this is my place?” The third place comes to the front.

“I’d say that-“ Jongdae’s sentence gets cut as the number turns, “I was about to say yes, but I guess Chungha took my words.”

His shoulders shrink a little bit, but he keeps his face together. Chungha is not a bad third. He shouldn’t feel bad because it’s as if he and Sehyoon switched places.

Besides, if he ranks as the fourth of fifth, he’s in the middle which isn’t bad. Only the last place is bad today.

The big number turns and reveals his face behind it.

The sigh he releases is big enough to tell how he was actually feeling under his mask of indifference. Now he can relax and watch the show. At least almost. Hopefully his placements had some significance, and Hyuna and Hye-Jin are safe.

The fifth place passes in a blur when Hyuna’s face appears and is added to the big list at the bottom. Momentarily he wonders, who is she close with as she’s in the middle of the list —even higher than Hye-Jin.

The sixth place comes too fast, seemingly without the tension-period the ratings results usually have. Realistically, he knows it’s just him. The producers would never make the mistake of hurrying through something as exciting as this.

“No, how can that be?” Kyungsoo covers his mouth in shock when the black-haired man is shown. He was already accepted the fact that Eunki would be the second to last — not the sixth— in his heart.

“We have a 50% chance it’s Jihyo.”

“Please don’t remind me it’s _just_ fifty.”

His jitters get transferred into his leg that bounces against the floor when the 7th and 8th places are pulled forward together. Why is the time going so slow?

“Oh thank god! Thank you, thank you!” Kyungsoo collapses against the table as he sees the faces. His hands are sweating and he’s not even the one being blocked.

The screen eventually returns to the default row of their profiles, Jihyo’s picture now colored gray. Kyungsoo loves how good it feels to see that.

“What do you say? Shouldn’t we clean up and head to bed?” Kyungsoo has to tease Jongdae a little. He’s feeling too giddy not to.

“Ha ha. Very funny.” Ever as salty that he won’t get to sleep.

Kyungsoo chuckles and starts placing the coloring pencils back into their cover. He’ll finish the picture tomorrow.

Jongdae laughs as well, to what, Kyungsoo doesn’t know.

When an alert stops his cleaning, he knows why.

“Why is there always a twist?” An alert this late can’t mean anything good.

_The blocking is not over._ Kyungsoo has mixed feelings; partially he’s horrified of what’s coming, part of him screams of happiness as there’s now a chance of blocking _both_ Jihyo and Eunki.

He relaxes as the next message comes. _As the two most influential Players, Jongin and Sehyoon will become the Circle’s influencers._ He’s safe and now with his new-found trust, he knows they’ll block the right person.

He has to pause again his cleaning when the messages keep coming, “What do you mean it won’t go like normal?”

Annoyed, he pushes the colors back onto the table and lifts himself onto the couch. He searches for Nini with his eyes, but remembers it’s in the bedroom, where he left him earlier today.

“Jongdae?” The producer knows what the question is before Kyungsoo asks, “Can you explain what does this mean? They’re saving people?”

It sound’s like he’s even more safe — the word save has that effect.

“Just see, I bet it won’t take long as it’s them we’re talking about.”

Once again, he’s right, as the Circle chat opens in front of him.

JONGIN: _The first person I’m saving is @KYUNGSOO_

“Eunki must see how fucked he is.” They’re back as a team, stronger than ever.

“Are you sure Jongin and Sehyoon know of his part in all this?”

SEHYOON: _I’ll save @CHUNGHA_

“Actually— no I don’t.” That’s a fault in his plan that he didn’t think of.

JONGIN: _My next choice is @HYE-JIN_

“Positive thinking: There’s not many choices they have.”

It now all depends on Sehyoon’s last vote. Kyungsoo is afraid to see whether he saves Eunki or Hyuna. They came in at the same time, so time won’t be the weighing factor. It’s completely up to his own judgement.

SEHYOON: _The last person to be saved is_

SEHYOON: _@HYUNA_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyyyyy!
> 
> One thing I've learnt about myself while I've been working on TFR; I can do miracles under pressure, but nine times out of ten I just end up missing my deadline.  
> You wanted it, I gave it to you = Kaisoo back stronger than ever<33 Some mysteries need solving, but we have time before the final episode (not much, but some) Fluff incoming!!  
> (I know that puzzle was confusing af, but I actually made it for this; see it [here](https://imgur.com/a/w5SuvND)  
> TWO chapters left, how are feeling? Honestly, I'm relieved --not because I don't like this, but because I feel like this is the only thing I've thought about in like four months and I'm aching to write other things as well! ~ stay tuned for those things~  
> I messed up today in my test, so I'll head to study for the next one now... see you in a week(?) two weeks (?) I don't know when, but in the next chapter!  
> Remember to relax, take time for yourself, and hopefully you'll stay safe and goodbye for now!


	11. EP 11: PARTY TIME

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s the last moments in the Circle and nothing is slowing down — also Kyungsoo is getting home sick:(

Jihyo smiles and it’s a smile of pity, “I’m not the real enemy here. There’s someone much more dangerous in the Circle left —right by your side. She is on no one’s side, and don't think you’re special.”

Jihyo’s uneventful video has taken a turn.

“The real mastermind behind-“, she gestures vaguely around her, “all of this. “

The video ends, leaving Kyungsoo in the silence with Jongdae and a spilled drink.

“Who she? Is the superinfluencer and the ‘mastermind’ the same person?”

“I don’t know, but you have three ‘she’-people here. That’s not many.”

Kyungsoo was on full alert-mode but his stance weakens as he realizes Jongin and Sehyoon have been cleared safe. If it’s not them, he’s well-off.

Chungha is the person Kyungsoo likes the most out of all of the women, but it doesn’t mean he dislikes the others. This is a shock to say. Sadly, it badly looks like Chungha would be the superinfluencer if Kyungsoo is to believe Jihyo’s words. She is the only one whose ranks would’ve been high enough.

“I’m really on the edge whether I should trust her words or not. Of course, she could be lying to cause some more drama — but why would she try anymore? Jihyo has nothing to gain.”

“She makes sense in the way that neither she or Eunki would have the ranks to block Jungkook”, Jongdae sighs —as distressed as Kyungsoo, “But did they work together, under someone’s orders or alone? That I don’t know.”

Kyungsoo massages his face to get his blood flowing better. He feels so disoriented, partly because it’s been so many days under the constant scrutinization and isolation — his head is messed enough as it is without all the drama.

“Anyway”, Jongdae switches the topic, “Can you clean up that water? It’s driving me nuts.”

He looks down and remembers the mess. Once again, he knows that him spilling his drink will get into the final cut — somebody should’ve warned him before abruptly displaying Jihyo’s video message.

He goes to get the tissues from the kitchen when an invite shows up. Kyungsoo takes the last few steps faster than the rest so he can see who it is from.

“Of course, I’ll accept!”

JONGIN: _I miss my dogs sooo much TT_  
JONGIN: _I need some Kyungsoo-treatment_

"He’s so adorable — I think I can’t get over it.” Kyungsoo visibly melts at Jongin’s cute approach. “ _I’m sorry I can’t help. I’m dying to see my Meokmul and Huchu again.”_

He’s not sure if he is missing them more because he knows he can’t get updates on them even if he wanted, unlike during his work-trips when he can hear from them anytime he wants. This kind of a thing is new to him.

JONGIN: _Just speaking to you helps because, for one, I know I’m not alone and secondly, not long until all of us can meet!_

KYUNGSOO: _I need to mentally prepare myself to manage five dogs at once. FIVE, Jongin_

KYUNGSOO: _Don’t get me wrong, I’m really excited for it though_

“I know we already had this conversation, but I can’t seem to wrap my head around it properly. Will I be able to give all of them equal amount of attention?”

“Kyungsoo, you can think of it like you’re only getting a half of a dog more because it’s not like you’ll take care of them alone. You’ll have Jongin.” Jongdae’s voice has a smile in it. “And can I point out how wholesome it is to have you worrying about your life even before you are properly together. You’re that invested, and I really admire your commitment.”

Kyungsoo pauses wiping the coffee table as the producer points out the obvious. It feels so normal to plan their future together he didn’t even think he was doing it. But then, what else could he be than invested after everything that has went down?

JONGIN: _I just hope Monggu won’t be an ass towards Huchu and Meokmul. It wouldn’t be the first time._

KYUNGSOO: _I’m sure it’ll be okay. They have time to get to know each other._

JONGIN: _You’re right. We have time._

Kyungsoo smiles at his choice of words. ‘We’ have time.

Jongin seems to be writing something judging from the three dots, so Kyungsoo hurries to throw the tissues out. He seems to be unable to get any work done while he chats with him, so he has to force himself to move.

JONGIN: _I had other stuff to talk about too. I never got to tell you how it went with Yongguk, did I?_

KYUNGSOO: _No, you didn’t_

KYUNGSOO: _I also was about to ask how you were feeling and what happened with him then, but…_

“I totally forgot! Somehow, I decided that he wasn’t catfish or anything because nothing came up, but I never got any confirmation.” Kyungsoo can’t keep track anymore, whose identity he knows and who they have visited after getting blocked. Not that it matters greatly but it couldn’t harm him to know.

JONGIN: _Well, it never came up before partly because there was nothing to say._

JONGIN: _He was as honest as he could be. Although he admitted that he took some statements too seriously in Tag The Player and got heated way too fast. He seemed like a cool guy; he’s a music producer._

“ _That’s interesting.”_ Kyungsoo frowns as the image Jongin painted merges with his own image of Yongguk, “ _I never grasped what he was like, because I was always so confused by him.”_

JONGIN: _I was the same — I think we all were. It’ll make sense when you’ll talk to him face to face._

Kyungsoo believes that’s true as only text isn’t a fool-proof way of communicating, as all of them have seen. Knowing Yongguk wasn’t lying about his identity makes sense but also it doesn’t. He acted so unusually it makes him think if he’s judging people from the wrong things — what are the things the other players are lying about?

He swipes Nini with him as he passes the chair behind the couch. Maybe he should poke Jongin for some information.

KYUNGSOO: _Waiting for that, then._

KYUNGSOO: _By the way, how did you place in yesterday’s game? I was fourth._

“You’re really testing the waters”, Jongdae is half-amazed, half-nervous, “What are you going to do if he asks what your word is?”

Kyungsoo squeezes the teddy bear closer and pushes his glasses higher out of habit, “If I need to, I’ll tell him. But I’ll try to avoid that so that the game won’t be affected.”

JONGIN: _I was fifth, right after you!_

JONGIN: _Some of them were easy but very concerning. If it’s okay to you, I don’t want to know what was your word. I trust you, and some of them can be misleading. Besides, we’ll see what’s going on soon anyway._

He nods as he buries his face into Nini’s fur. Jongin is right. There’s nothing he can gain from knowing whether Jongin’s word is relationship, face or one of the others.

KYUNGSOO: _I don’t know if I love or hate the way you can change my mind._

“Is it changing your mind if you already thought the same but just didn’t acknowledge it before he pointed it out?”

“Well, no, but you get the point.” Kyungsoo waits for Jongin to say something but even his dots stay away. Did he misunderstand?

JONGIN: _Sorry, Hye-Jin sent an invite to chat. I want to stay with you, but it'd be a good opportunity after you-know-who’s video — what do I do Kyungsoo?_

KYUNGSOO: _Go talk to her! I’m not going anywhere anyways_

KYUNGSOO: _And you can say Jihyo. I’m not going to go mental_

JONGIN: _You sure?_

His question makes Kyungsoo laugh. Jongin is so annoying sometimes. “ _I’ll have to re-evaluate if you’re not leaving this chat soon, mister.”_

_“Yes, mom.”_ Jongin plays along, but adds, “ _Okay, I’ll go — although I’m already missing you.”_

OOO

”Why now?” Kyungsoo sinks further under the water to cover himself up more.

His only wish was to bathe in peace, but unfortunately that won’t happen. There’s not a huge reason for it — it’s that he’s not very comfortable showing much of his skin on television. The outdoor jacuzzi was always on his bucket list, but as there was a too high of a risk of getting caught in a game or a chat while he was there, so he decided to postpone it later. With less players it’s a lesser chance of someone coming to talk to him right then and there.

Not that his predictions were right, as Hyuna’s invite to chat waits in front of him on the big screen.

“Are you going to let her wait for long or…?” Baekhyun’s voice sounds different in the outside air. “’Soo?”

Kyungsoo relents after a quick silence. He doesn’t have any choices, has he? Like with Jongin and Hye-Jin, it’s too good of an opportunity to pass. “Circle, accept Hyuna’s invite.”

HYUNA: _Hi, Kyungsoo!_

HYUNA: _Am I bothering you? You took time to answer_

KYUNGSOO: _Not really! I’m just in the outdoor jacuzzi_

“I’m not sure how should I feel that she came to talk after Jihyo’s accusations.” Kyungsoo pushes his hair back with his wet hands so it would stay out of his sight, “I’m sure all of the ladies want to make it clear that they aren’t the ‘mastermind’ — I’d want it too if I was in their shoes.”

HYUNA: _I’m sure you know the reason why I’m here_

KYUNGSOO: _I can guess_

KYUNGSOO: _Is there something specific you want to tell me?_

At this point in the game all of them know how this goes. Kyungsoo doesn’t see any reason to avoid the real conversation.

HYUNA: _I don’t have anything else to say for myself than that I’m not popular enough_

HYUNA: _I thought that the superinfluencer would be either you, Miyeon or Chungha — I doubt that you’d block Jungkook so there’s only one I’m suspecting_

_“I have already come to the same conclusion myself”,_ Kyungsoo lets his arms float in the water freely as he leans his head against the side, “ _The mastermind could be any of the three of you, though.”_

An alert rings and Kyungsoo almost gulps water into his lungs as he checks what’s up. There’s never alerts in the middle of a conversation.

“Decline Hye-Jin’s chat invite.”

It’s clear as a day she’s doing a round of making herself innocent. Kyungsoo doesn’t have a problem with it, but he still has stuff to talk about with Hyuna.

HYUNA: _I can’t say who it is because I don’t know myself. Yes, there has been collective talks about who should be voted out and with who should we mess with, but I don’t know to what extent and who is responsible for starting the projects._

“Does that mean that all of them knew and approved the misunderstanding between me and Jongin?” Kyungsoo did have a feeling that the mastermind had her hands in that mess too, but to be completely orchestrated by her? Also the amount of power she has and had over so many players is making Kyungsoo slightly anxious.

KYUNGSOO: _Why didn’t you say anything earlier — I’m assuming the thing with Jongin and me was also one of your plans?_

HYUNA: _That’s the thing. I didn’t know. No one knows completely who is part of the plan and what the grand plan is. The ‘mastermind’ always made sure we don’t know too much. I heard orders from everyone. Chungha, Hye-Jin, Jihyo, Eunki and even Jungkook._

HYUNA: _There were rumors, of course. That’s how I first heard something had happened with you two, but I didn’t know if it was Jihyo following orders — you or Jongin could’ve been doing it too._

“Okay, let’s not panic.” Baekhyun sounds like he is panicking and only speaking to himself. Kyungsoo is not far either.

The web of lies is much bigger than what Kyungsoo imagined. He can’t fully grasp how this is even possible. Someone has really worked her ass of to make every piece fit together.

KYUNGSOO: _This is a lot to take in…_

KYUNGSOO: _There’s one thing I can’t understand. Why were so many of you ranked so low then if you all had each other’s backs. Take Hye-Jin or Jihyo for example_

Chungha and Jungkook are the only ones that have lately ranked high — see where it got him. All the others have been placed at the bottom.

HYUNA: _I’m sorry I can only offer you ‘I don’t know’s, but I’m always been in the middle-ish which is good enough for me —except yesterday when I got saved only thanks to Sehyoon_

KYUNGSOO: _This is better than nothing, believe me! I just can’t understand how, for example, Hye-Jin is satisfied being in the last two always._

“I feel like the thing we need to figure this out is right in front of our noses but can’t grasp it fully.”

“Yeah, something is bugging me in this whole situation, but I can’t see what.” Kyungsoo pulls his knees towards his chest, making the water ripple around him.

“How did Jihyo know who the mastermind is when Hyuna doesn’t?”

There’s many reasons. Hyuna could be lying, she could be the big boss herself or Jihyo’s position in the plan was big enough to require close guidance.

HYUNA: _That I can answer! I asked her the same thing and she said that for her, only the final rankings are important._

HYUNA: _I also heard a rumor that there was going to be change of power dynamics where we all started placing each other high, making the rest of you rank low or something — but that’s not happening after Jihyo and Eunki’s blocking, I guess_

“ _That makes sense; Hye-Jin is kind of right but you were taking really big risks as we can now see_ ”, Kyungsoo plays with the water as he processes the new information. They were so close to being blocked without knowing anything about it.

HYUNA: _My thoughts exactly._

HYUNA _: I’m so sorry, but my gym reservation starts in like 5 mins and I must get ready, so I need to end our conversation!_

KYUNGSOO: _Don’t worry about it! Let’s catch up more later!_

The screen turns off and Kyungsoo’s shoulders slump. He has a bit clearer image on what’s happening, but now that he has decided to trust Hyuna, he has not many choices left anymore.

“You have taken your sweet time already, ‘Soo. Your time is up soon, so gather yourself and your stuff.”

His fingers have already gotten all wrinkly and the contact lenses are starting to bother him. He closes his eyes and counts to ten before lifting himself up into the cold air. He psyches himself to focus for the upcoming half of the day — only the final sprint left before reaching the goal.

OOO

“-in fact it was _Chanyeol_. I thought I was being haunted by a ghost, but it was _my boyfriend._ Can you imagine?”

Kyungsoo scoops up more chips and nods as he chews. With his clean hand he turns a page in the book he’s reading.

“Are you listening?”

“Mhmm”, he hums and fills his mouth again with the salty snacks.

“There’s no way you heard anything I said — your eyes haven’t left the book unless to check how empty the bag of chips is.”

“Chanyeol was the culprit.” Kyungsoo is not totally out of the story.

“What did he do?”

Kyungsoo gulps as he has to know the answer. He knows he heard it but it’s not coming to him. “Uh, he-“, he’s saved by the Circle’s newest alert.

The bookmark is somewhere under him, so he turns to look for it before new notifications come. As he finds it and marks the page he was on, the capital letters fade from in front of him. The book finds its place between the coloring pencils he hasn’t cleaned up yet.

“A Goodbye-party? For who?”

“All of you.” Baekhyun may be rolling his eyes at Kyungsoo based on the tone he’s using. He apparently didn’t miss Kyungsoo’s failed attempt to answer his question.

Kyungsoo’s expression must be full of confusion. It’s as if he came here yesterday and now it’s already time for goodbyes. How should he be getting ready to leave when there’s still huge amount of truths to figure out?

As much as he misses the real world with other people, Meokmul and Huchu, as well as his work, he has built a new life here with new people. Thinking about a life without Baekhyun and Jongdae with him 24/7 seems so far away, even if they annoy him to no end sometimes — not to mention merging his life with Jongin’s and introducing Sehyoon, Jungkook and all the others to his real-life friends and family.

Kyungsoo brushes all the crumbs off his sweater and goes to get the party-package sent to him. Hopefully, he’ll find his party mood from there.

The brown box is identical to all the others he has received before. This time the insides aren’t for decorating a cake or pajamas, but a party hat with all kinds of snacks, string of flags, balloons and a banner that reads ‘THE FINAL NIGHT’. Kyungsoo’s party mood is still missing.

“One day, ‘Soo, and you’ll see Jongin. Is that not something worth partying for?” The older guy tries to cheer him up. “Even if either of you gets blocked, you’ll still see each other tomorrow.”

“You’re right.” Kyungsoo places the hat on top of his head. “Let’s enjoy while we still can. There’s a lot we need to pack tonight.”

Kyungsoo bends to pick up the banner. He has no reason to worry what will happen in the future, in the Circle you’ll never know what happens the next second, for one. Secondly, he has lived his normal life far too long for it to be completely affected by the past month he has spent abroad. Things will change, some people will come into his life, some may leave. People’s views on him are going to change, but he knows he has only been honest and if that’s not enough — maybe it’s better that way.

For the grannies, he makes his resolve. He’ll do his absolute best to return to their weekly host as a person who has learned and changed for the better.

HYE-JIN: _Such a fine night to end our game?_

SEHYOON: _It really is pretty weather outside_

Kyungsoo glances outside the window, seeing an orange sunset in the horizon. The music around him is relaxing lo-fi hip hop, and it’s making him get into the mood slowly.

JONGIN: _I can’t believe tomorrow we’ll meet face-to-face for the first time. I’m so nervous but excited at the same time!_

KYUNGSOO: _I haven’t grasped the reality yet… I’ve waited it for so long but still I’m conflicted_

CHUNGHA: _Honestly, I have become attached to you — even if I don’t know you guys yet_

HYUNA: _I’m almost in tears right now; this will probably be the last time we’ll be all together_

“If she words it like that…”, Kyungsoo turns his eyes down to the candies in his hand and chooses what to eat next, “One of us will leave before the final — there won’t be another chance to talk together after this, for reals.”

Now they only have to pick the right person to block. It’s a real-life game of mafioso: Who is the secret killer? Will the townspeople win, or the evil?

HYE-JIN: _Hyuna, do you have something to confess now that we’re all together for the last time?_

HYE-JIN: _Or any of you? We got to find out who is responsible and for what._

“Whoa, has she done something?” Baekhyun gasps, “Is she just poking blindly, or does she know something?”

“ _What’s this about? It’s true that it would be helpful for us to know, but is this the right approach?”_ Kyungsoo tries to stay neutral. He prefers to stay out of trouble until the end.

CHUNGHA: _Hye-Jin? What are you doing? You’re as much of a suspect as everyone else_

SEHYOON: _Do you have any proof? Nobody will confess if you just blame them._

JONGIN: _Can either of you say something, Hyuna? Hye-Jin?_

”It as if Jongin is out of it too.” Kyungsoo sets all the snacks on top of the rising pile of his unfinished things on the coffee table. “If anyone, I thought he’d know something as they talked with Hye-Jin earlier.”

HYUNA: _Why are you blaming me suddenly?_

HYUNA: _Anyone with common sense knows I can’t be the superinfluencer as my ranks haven’t been high enough. And like I said to Kyungsoo today, I have nothing that I can defend myself with when it comes to being the ‘mastermind’._

“I know she isn’t the superinfluencer.” Kyungsoo sighs, “She’s not the mastermind either, if I’m being asked. Her personality is not strong enough to manipulate that many people.”

JONGIN: _Think whatever you want of me, but I don’t think she’s the superinfluencer, at least._

KYUNGSOO: _I second that_

SEHYOON: _Well, her reason seems solid enough. It would’ve needed a miracle_

“I feel good knowing I’m not the only one thinking like this. Besides, we have the majority of votes now.”

HYE-JIN: _Of course, I agree on that. Sehyoon was the superinfluencer_

CHUNGHA: _Hye-Jin WHAT_

HYE-JIN: _Lately he’s been ranking high — even higher now that Jungkook isn’t in the Circle_

HYE-JIN: _Being friends and wanting to win are two completely different things, you know,_

“Wait, I’m not following.”

“Me neither. Is she saying that _Sehyoon_ out of everyone blocked his best friend? The same Sehyoon we know?”

JONGIN: _Hye-Jin, are you serious right now?_

SEHYOON: _Me????? How could I?_

KYUNGSOO: _That’s complete bullshit and you know it. What are you trying to do?_

“Why is Hye-Jin being so loud suddenly? And for totally wrong reasons?” She has been a fall flower for the latter half of the game, but decided suddenly to change strategy at the end? Nothing makes sense anymore.

Kyungsoo needs something to drink right now to cool his head. They aren’t allowed to have any alcohol in the apartment, so he’ll have to survive with peach-flavored carbonated water. Nini would do good as well.

HYE-JIN: _Believe what you want but the answer is before your eyes. What about the mastermind, why no one is focusing on her?_

HYUNA: _Stop. You’re not above anyone else._

CHUNGHA: _We’re don’t know who the mastermind is. It’s one of us three according to Jihyo — I know I’m not the one to look out for but all of us will say the same. That’s why we’re not focusing on it._

“This party is a lot less fun than I thought, I got to admit.”

Kyungsoo laughs at that. He had a feeling this wouldn’t be the party of the century — not that he expected this outcome either.

SEHYOON: _Chungha is right. And thank you to everyone who knows I’m not the culprit here._

HYE-JIN: _Good of you to say. Everyone surely believes a backstabber._

SEHYOON: _Hye-Jin, **please** stop. What’s up with you? _

SEHYOON: _Can someone please convince her? I doubt she’ll listen to me…_

_”Don’t we all know who the superinfluencer really was?”_ Kyungsoo decides to fuck it. What can he lose anymore? “ _@CHUNGHA, right? It’s you.”_

Kyungsoo’s heart rate speeds up drastically the longer the silence continues. What are the others thinking and why isn’t nobody writing anything? Before his comment everyone was trying to get something said.

Finally, three dots appear over Chungha’s profile photo. The chef hasn’t felt this nervous in ages.

CHUNGHA: _How do you know?_

Kyungsoo has a hard time believing his eyes. He places the drink on the counter from his tight grasp.

HYUNA: _So, it was you after all._

JONGIN: _YOU? You are responsible for blocking Jungkook? I can’t believe how high I have ranked you all this time._

SEHYOON: _I- I don’t have words right now. So long, I have wondered who could be heartless enough to choose him out of everyone._

HYE-JIN: _Chungha what have you done?_

”I think all of us collectively knew it was her; there was never any other choice. No one just wanted to admit it out loud.”

Kyungsoo leans against his hands that are resting on top of the kitchen isle. He feels a little nauseous at everything that is going on. He’s so mad at Chungha, but he knows they have bigger problems.

CHUNGHA: _I know I did wrong! You don’t know how terrible it felt to go and deliver the news to him: he was an angel as Miyeon, and still is as Jungkook, and I have never regretted so much. He was so excited to meet you all face-to-face and wanted me to tell y’all — but he knew I’d be gone if I did._

CHUNGHA: _I can still remember his face when I opened the door that day. I didn’t care he was a catfish because I saw that I crushed his dreams right then and there. I’ll have to live with that._

CHUNGHA: _But to make one thing clear. I made the final choice — I know— BUT I was given the instruction to block Miyeon as soon as I got the chance. I only followed the orders I was given_

Kyungsoo reads her words carefully. It brings him a flashback of Jungkook’s video message and how devastated he was. It makes sense it wasn’t only for betraying the people he cared about. It was the whole scheme of things. The superinfluencer having been Chungha, a person he sincerely liked, acting on orders given to her by a person Jungkook thought he could trust — based on the fact that he had been a part of the mastermind web according to Hyuna.

“How do you think Sehyoon and Jongin are taking the fact that there’s so strong loyalty for the mastermind within us?”

Kyungsoo isn’t surprised by the extent as he had a hunch after his and Hyuna’s little talk earlier.

“Taking that they aren’t in it themselves? Quite shocked.”

HYUNA: _Who gave you the order? Was it more than one person?_

SEHYOON: _Don’t try and blame someone else, you made the choice yourself_

SEHYOON: _I don’t know how you have gotten so far if you’ve only been following orders and turning your back on others_

CHUNGHA: _The first time I heard about it was from Hye-Jin, then once again from Jihyo to make sure I remembered_  
JONGIN: _Thanks to you we can’t meet him face-to-face in the finals. Wouldn’t be surprised if you were the mastermind yourself._

Kyungsoo looks around when the screens tell him the party is over. The party hat is the first thing to go, but there’s still billion things he needs to clean up.

The nearing cleaning operation seems so overpowering. Where is Nini when Kyungsoo needs him as his emotional support teddy bear? If he remembers correctly, he brought him into the bedroom when he got out of the shower, so he should be there.

Without any warning the apartment rings with an alert that catches Kyungsoo off-guard. He’s so glad his own apartment doesn’t do that.

“Shit, that scared me!” He rests his hand over his heart as he takes a moment to calm down. “ _Players, it’s time for ratings_.”

Kyungsoo breathes out a relieved breath. That he can do. If it was going to be anything else he’s not sure if his brains could handle it.

“Circle, take me to the ratings.” He walks into his bedroom and spots Nini in the middle of his bed, as if beckoning Kyungsoo to come to him.

Kyungsoo crawls up onto the bed and cuddles close to the brown toy. Kyungsoo’ll have a hard time coming up with as amazing gift to Jongin someday.

“What shall we do with these people?” Baekhyun reminds him of what he came to do.

“Naturally, Jongin will be my first and Sehyoon second.”

“As expected,” Baekhyun hums and gives them their placements, “Then?”

Kyungsoo throws his left leg over Nini’s body. The idea of taking an evening nap is more tempting each passing second, but he knows he’ll have to do finish this before anything else.

“Hyuna takes the third place — I just can’t see her behind all of this.” He has the last two ranks cleared after what just happened, but something is still bothering him. He tries to find what it is, but the softness under him is making him hurry his decision. “Chungha will be on the last place, and Hye-Jin right between the other ladies.

When did his rankings become so sexist? Kyungsoo has to think for a while but comes to the conclusion it was mostly like this from the beginning, only emphasized after Miyeon’s blocking — who ended up being a guy — and Jihyo’s revelation. He’s way too tired to be so political.

OOO

The sky is so pretty in England. Kyungsoo could spend all of his mornings like this; cozy under the warm blankets, snuggled close to Nini, surrounded by the silence of the early hours of the day.

It’s the first morning he’s up before the lights are on. He’s glad that he gets to start his last day like this — enough time to enjoy the little things, press them into his memory. For a moment, he can forget everything weighing his mind down. The suitcase waiting for the last clothes on the floor at the end of the bed, last blocking before the final, meeting Jongin in real life, response from the netizens after everything — all of that. For a moment he can pretend it’s only him in the world.

Nostalgia is getting to him even before there’s anything to long for.

The sky looks brighter than what it was yesterday when he was woken up — they must be letting them sleep in. For the first time in a while he really wants to know what time it is.

After a while, his thoughts start to wander back to their usual tracks. Who is the mastermind? Is there going to be the normal influencers or a different method today? There’s no reason to stay in bed anymore when he could be doing something useful for his future self.

There shouldn’t be a restriction for getting up earlier than planned, so he quietly makes his way to the bathroom opposite of his bedroom.

It is fairly spacious, around the same size as his own back in Korea. The huge mirror is full of small spots of toothpaste from his electric toothbrush. Just like at home. All the surfaces are now empty expect for his necessities, facemasks, for example, already in the suitcase.

The caramel-tiles have grown on him after these days. It makes him smile, to think back to the first day and how much he hated them. It’s a shame he didn’t use the opportunity to use the bathtub even once.

Kyungsoo thought they’d bring back the lights before he got out of the bathroom, but it isn’t the case.

Back at the bedroom, Kyungsoo gathers Nini into his arms and finds himself a pair of clean socks. The floors are freezing cold and the chill is setting slowly into his bones — nothing a hot cup of coffee can’t fix.

He watches the sun rise higher at the horizon, facing the balcony he’s forbitten to go and the apartment building for the staff. In the armchair that he pulled from the corner of the living room he and Nini are tangled together with a book in between them and the now-empty mug on the floor.

He feels like it’s another dimension of his life at the Circle. The walls are the same adorned in the tacky artworks and mix-matched furniture on their usual places. No traces of Kyungsoo left after the nightly clean-up operation with Jongdae.

The room lights up, more gently than what he’s used to, maybe because he isn’t awoken with them this time.

“Morning, early bird”, Jongdae’s voice is tender and warm, reminding Kyungsoo of his favorite sweater. All worn-out but still as warm and comforting as ever before — a sign he’s getting home sick.

“The last morning”, Kyungsoo croaks back, his voice hoarse after not being used since last night.

“You can rest or do whatever for a while now, we must get the others awake before anything drastic can happen. It might take a while — my boss’ greetings to you.”

“Oh, thanks.” He’s not sure if it’s a good or a bad thing to get greetings straight from the main producer of the show.

The living room was a pain to clean and organize, but now that he did it yesterday, he has a lot less stuff to do today. The kitchen can be gathered only after he has eaten lunch and the rest of the bathroom only after he has showered and gotten himself a makeover. It looks like he has to start packing up his bedroom for now.

He puts the mug next to two others in the sink and lets them be the problems of the future. He’s going to start by changing his clothes and moving his sleepwear into the suitcase with his sleep mask. He systematically cleans all the surfaces clean off his things by moving them onto the floor and sorting them out there.

His mom and all the grannies will throw a fit for sure, but that’s how he gets stuff done so why change the habits? The time passes relatively fast, chatting with Jongdae and filling the void inside the suitcase a little by little.

“Minseok gave me so much-“, Kyungsoo’s sentence gets interrupted by an alert as he turns to read the screen. “ _Players, the ratings rankings have arrived.”_

Kyungsoo folds the nth brown sweater neatly right on top of the other ones before turning his attention to the placements. He’s not worried anymore. If it is like Hyuna hinted, and the mastermind is losing control after Eunki and Jihyo’s blockings, Kyungsoo has nothing to worry about no matter what his rank is.

There’s not much doubt of his place in the final. Jongin and Sehyoon are on his side, and so is hopefully Hyuna as well. That is more than enough already. The most interesting places will be the influencers, like usual, but today there’s a special meaning.

“ _The final influencers for the Circle Korea will be revealed_ ”, Kyungsoo reads as the sixth and fifth places fill the screen. It’s weird to think that there will be only three pairs today, and five individuals after that.

The suspense of everyone going silent makes the time go even slower. Finally, the numbers start turning.

“As expected, Chungha and Hye-Jin.”

“I don’t know about you, but I didn’t expect Hye-Jin to be the last. Why isn’t Chungha under her?”

Kyungsoo didn’t notice that at first, only after the producer pointed it out. To him its either or. It doesn’t matter. Someone really likes Chungha or some people dislike Hye-Jin for some reason.

Their profiles move to the background as the third and fourth places come forward.

“This is where I usually stop.” He has lately been always in the middle of the ranks, which is fine as he knows he’ll be saved — all though it won’t make him a millionaire.

Jongdae offers him a hum of acknowledgement as they focus back on the screen. Without even noticing it, Kyungsoo fixes his slouch and places his hands neatly onto his thighs.

The suspense is shorter this time — to Kyungsoo at least — when the round numbers turn around.

Hyuna’s profile is easily recognizable with the big 4th on it. Jongin’s would be a little harder to piece together under the 3rd placement if there wasn’t any emotional connection to that photo.

“Kyungsoo, you’re back as an influencer! Congrats!”

He must be slow today in general as he’s too occupied with Jongin to understand what it means for him and Sehyoon. One of them will be the most popular person of the Circle right before the final. That’s big.

Kyungsoo decides to close his eyes during the wait. If he cannot see what’s going on, he can’t know how long he still has to wait. The outcome will be the same anyways, watches he it unfold or not.

“You can open your eyes”, Jongdae informs him after a long silence. His voice doesn’t reveal anything.

The 1st and 2nd places are not at the front anymore as they have been placed above all the other players already. Sehyoon’s name is bright at the top of the list, with Kyungsoo’s under his. There’s no way he wouldn’t be happy at the outcome. Second place is not a bad place. Especially if he’s sandwiched between his personal number one and number two.

OOO

The Circle Room brings back so many memories to him. The first time he and Jongin met and when he was the influencer for the first time — the second time was a different case — and now he’s back here after a long time.

The room itself hasn’t changed from Kyungsoo’s memories but the whole situation feels a lot different mainly because Kyungsoo himself and his way of thinking has shifted.

Like the last time, Nini has a chair prepared for him and Kyungsoo places him on it to watch. He pulls the chair from under the rectangular table and sits himself in front of the screen. Before him is a chocolate mousse instead of a proper lunch as he already cooked for himself earlier.

The screen lights up with the Circle’s logo, making Kyungsoo suck in a breath. It takes a moment, but eventually he’s moved into the chat with Sehyoon. He gave today’s choice a lot of thought beforehand — trying to figure out who is the real evil.

He smoothes down his brown hair and waits for Sehyoon to start.

SEHYOON: _The final influencers, huh?_

KYUNGSOO: _This feels weird_

KYUNGSOO: _Not in a bad way, but I can’t wrap my head around the fact that we’ll be the last ones_

“I haven’t been talking with Sehyoon since we reconciled with Jongin”, Kyungsoo scoops up a taste of the chocolate sweet, “I need to thank him for putting up with me.”

KYUNGSOO: _Thank you, by the way, for pressuring me to talk with Jongin_

SEHYOON: _I knew you two would figure everything out so I only gave you a push_

SEHYOON: _But to use this to move onto our main topic of the day: we don’t need to even talk about Jongin, he’s safe_

KYUNGSOO: _That’s right. I also want to keep Hyuna with us in the final. We’ve gotten a lot closer_

“You’re ready take the blame if she ends up being the mastermind? You’re the one keeping her now.” Baekhyun asks and Kyungsoo takes a sip of water as he thinks.

There’re only three women in the game left and one of them is the mastermind behind everything. Everything Kyungsoo uses to rule out people is only subjective. They could be lying, or he could be making the wrong assumptions.

SEHYOON: _So, you’re sure she’s not the mastermind? All though, I’m at the point that I’d like to block Chungha only because she was the superinfluencer_

KYUNGSOO: _I- I don’t know. I just want to get rid of the one behind scheming my situation with Jongin, as well as choosing Miyeon as a target_

“If Hyuna was the one, why would she have told me all the details of how everything worked? Wouldn’t it have been better for me not to know? If Chungha is the one, why has she ranked so high? It makes her a bigger threat. If Hye-Jin is the one, why would she want to attract attention after being quiet for so long?”

“Because her plan failed, and she’s ranked low?” Baekhyun sighs. He’s getting tired of all the speculation as well. “You have to choose now Kyungsoo. Sehyoon is waiting and so am I.”

“That’s it. Hye-Jin is the mastermind. It’s been her all this time.”

The pieces start to find their places and Kyungsoo can finally point out the thing that has been bothering him for a while.

KYUNGSOO: _Sehyoon, I think I got it._

KYUNGSOO: _Hye-Jin is the one. She’s behind all of this._

SEHYOON: _WHAT, why?_

_“Think about it. She turned invisible when Jongin arrived; she’s smart, so she must’ve realized that there’s no place for her within our group. If she stays out of our way, she’s not a threat and no one would suspect her as the one behind everything — especially if she continues to rank low.”_ Kyungsoo tries his hardest to convince Sehyoon. The more he thinks about it, the more everything makes sense.

KYUNGSOO: _Now that Eunki and Jihyo have been blocked her majority doesn’t exist anymore. Their plan to turn the tables within the rankings in the final doesn’t work, so she has to try and gain our favor with all her might. Today she talked with Jongin and tried to talk with me right after that_

SEHYOON: _How do you even know all of that about majorities and all that? And why would she try and frame me?_

“ _Hyuna told me a thing or two. The thing with you is the only piece that doesn’t fit”,_ Kyungsoo scrapes the bowl empty and searches his mind for something, _“Of course, she could be just desperate or trying to cover for Chungha in the fear of getting exposed herself. Her comment after Chungha’s confession was ‘Chungha, what have you done’, which sounds a little scared — if you ask me. It doesn’t necessarily mean anything but both Chungha and Hyuna have admitted getting orders from Hye-Jin, as well as from others, but she hasn’t said anything.”_

SEHYOON: _I can see this happening now. She is the one out of the three, who I’d say is the best at persuading and planning something as big as this. Also, after Jungkook got blocked she came to me and told she had already spoken with you. There was a open space and she was going for it. Too bad we weren’t looking for anyone to replace him._

SEHYOON: _Have we really come to this?_

“Not to say anything but that went from zero to hundred quite fast.”

“I agree.” Kyungsoo leans against the backrest and tries to relax his body. “Now that I have figured out what has been bugging me, I can’t think about anything else than how shameless Hye-Jin is. She planned everything and even ordered Jihyo and Eunki to execute her plan to hurt me and Jongin so she can win.”

KYUNGSOO: _I can’t live with myself if I let her into the finals_

His words are enough for the production team and they’re moved to the Circle Chat with the other four players. It’s Kyungsoo’s turn to break the news.

KYUNGSOO: _Some of you may find our choice incorrect but I assure that we wouldn’t do this if we’re not 100% sure_

KYUNGSOO: _We’re going to block the woman behind every misunderstanding_

He reaches to move Nini onto his lap. Jongin will be so shocked. Kyungsoo knows how much Jongin wants justice for Jungkook by blocking Chungha and now they’re going to block a different person — without any reason from the younger’s perspective.

KYUNGSOO: _Hye-Jin, you’ve been blocked._

He sends the message and watches the chat close immediately after. What’s done has been done. Nothing can be changed anymore. They are the last five people left in the Circle, the finalists, all competing for a billion won.

A wave of shock leaves him paralyzed. He made it. Few hours until he is allowed to leave, few hours until he meets Jongin.

Less than a day before everything ends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyyyyy it's been a while...
> 
> I'm currently having a sleepover but I'm still writing my author's note so you'll get to read this as soon as possible!
> 
> I forgot to say this last time but we finally hit 50k (which is INCREDIBLE) and I'm not sure at all but 60k as well???
> 
> HOW IS EVERYONE FEELING?
> 
> Ummm I don't know what to say it's late and I'm tired so I'll add something later maybe? When I was writing this I had like thousands of things that I wanted to say but can't remember any of them TT
> 
> I have to tell this: I changed the rest of the plot right after posting the 10th chapter because there wasn't enough tension soooo, how is it?
> 
> Everyone stay safe and see you IN THE LAST CHAPTER (whaaaaaaaaat????) <3


	12. EP 12: THE FINALE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kyungsoo gets surprises after surprises - and a lot of hugs

The Circle Chat closes permanently, and the screen returns to the profiles page. Hye-Jin’s photo is now gray and Kyungsoo feels the heavy stares form the rest of the players.

“Nini, what do you say about showering?” He sighs and turns his attention to the toy.

All his clothes have been packed, just like everything from the kitchen. There’re only the things he uses to get ready for the finale left unpacked. The faster he showers, the faster he’s ready.

Nini remains silent, but the Circle gives him an answer when the blue room is lit up again by an alert.

“ _Players, it’s time for the final ratings. These ratings will decide the winner of The Circle Korea.”_

Kyungsoo thought he would’ve gotten more time to prepare himself mentally for this moment but guess not. For the last time, Baekhyun moves him to the ratings app. It’s mad to think how many people he’s had to rate and judge since starting the game, now there's only four.

“I thought that it’d feel different to do this for the last time, but now I notice, it doesn't. I have the same reasons as ever before because I’ve always rated people based on how much they deserve to be the influencers. No games.”

His choices are obvious, and everyone knows why he’s placing them onto their placements, but he wants to say those things out loud for once. For the sake of this being the last time.

“Jongin deserves to win. I know I’m biased but everyone should see how kind, understanding and admirable he is as a person.” His words aren’t enough to convey everything he thinks of the younger man as there’s so much to say. “He has always been very attentive to my feelings and he has never said a bad word about anyone. Not even when he had good reasons to. He has achieved already so much, and he’s continuously working towards his dreams. He’s humorous, good-looking and likes dogs. What is there to _not_ like about him?”

Kyungsoo must’ve done something incredibly good in his past life to deserve Jongin. To think that without the Circle they would have never met is crazy. What are the chances?

“Sehyoon takes the second place. He’s grown super close to me in such a short time and even in the beginning I knew he was a good person.” They, too, hit a rough patch at one point, but how fast they got over it shows their friendship is already on steady ground, “He’s very loyal and sweet, and I look up to his confidence. He doesn’t need to be loud or show off-y to feel comfortable with himself. He’s truly true to himself.

“I don’t know Hyuna as well as Sehyoon or Jongin, but she will be the 3rd. I had a wrong impression of her at first and I’m not sure how it even changed. She has done bad things only to survive in the Circle — coming in relatively late.” Kyungsoo doesn’t know what it is about her, but something in him is telling to trust her. “She has been honest and open with me and I’m looking forward to getting to know her more.”

As all the others have their placements already, Chungha has gotten hers as well.

Kyungsoo slowly combs Nini’s fur as he thinks what to say. It’s not like he doesn’t have anything good to say, it’s more like he’s conflicted with himself.

“I don’t dislike her, as we have many similarities and I respect her for what she is doing to change the world. Like with Hyuna, I had a totally different opinion of her when we started, but she's really a caring person. The reason why I’m not placing her above Hyuna is that I still want to have that small revenge for Jungkook — I care about him too much to not have it affect my decision.”

Kyungsoo knows it’s not completely right, especially as Chungha was practically made to do it. Still, he knows that if Chungha would’ve opposed it strongly, she could’ve made another choice. The placements are his own opinions, so there’s no right answers.

“Circle, send my ratings.”

The software obeys, and the screen confirms his ranks. He has a moment with his decisions before the screen dies and he’s left in the candle-lit room with Nini.

“You have a couple of hours to get yourself ready and prepared to leave. Tao and Sehun are coming over to your apartment to make sure you’re all fine and dandy for the rest of the evening, so you don’t need to worry about your own hair or makeup.”

“I’m allowed to meet people now?”

“Don’t be so dramatic.” Baekhyun sighs, “You’ve had me and Jongdae with you 24/7, Yixing came to nurse you back to health and you’ve met Yifan several times now. This is nothing new.”

He was mentally preparing to tackle his hair for an hour, as well as to whip a look with basic makeup to do _something_ with his face. With this new development he has a lot more time do everything else.

“Nini, let’s take bath”, he decides as there's now time for it. 

OOO

_Breathe_ , Kyungsoo reminds himself.

His heart is already thundering inside his chest; he knows the way to the meeting room without any instructions as it's opposite of the Circle Room.

Sehun made him swear to not touch his hair so he suppresses the urge to mess with it. He knows he looks good and everything is just as it should be — it’s his nerves acting up. Tao forced him to ditch his glasses after noticing how often Kyungsoo tends to fix them, leaving marks in his foundation.

“Besides, no one will see your eye-look behind those goggles anyway”, he said sealing the decision.

Kyungsoo reaches the elevator at the end of the hallway and steps right in. Two floors up; turn to the right; through a corridor and he's there.

“You can do this, Kyungsoo.” He swipes a stray hair back to its place and breathes in deeply. Both Baekhyun and Jongdae will join him in the room, but without any voice this time — their feedback is not necessary.

The suit he’s dressed in is completely black, shining faintly in the mirror, bathing in the dim lights of the elevator. It’s very simplistic with his black bowtie and collared shirt, just like he prefers it to be.

The doors open and Kyungsoo feels a sudden calm fill his body. Whatever greets him at the end of the corridor is only the end of the Circle. The night won’t last forever, both in good and bad — his suitcase is already at the hotel he’ll stay the last days before his flight back home.

As the number of steps to the fateful door lessen, Kyungsoo wonders who, if anyone, will be greeting him. He’s not sure would it be worse to be the first or the last. Before he can arrive to any conclusion, the door is in front of him and he can’t prolong the moment anymore.

With a tentative press of the handle, the door unlocks. The air is silent around him, before and after he sees what’s inside. Kyungsoo lets the door close on its own behind him.

“Who are you?”

Kyungsoo slowly moves closer to the round table at the center of the room.

“I’m so, _so_ , sorry Kyungsoo.”

The way the man says his name is enough for Kyungsoo to know. Anxiety creeps in, squeezing his lungs, causing nausea and dizziness. He holds onto a wall to support himself.

“Jongin? No“, Kyungsoo has to turn around to gather himself. He’s losing control of his emotions at an alarming rate, “I- I don’t even know your name.”

His voice betrays him as it cracks in the middle of his sentence. All the hard work Tao put onto his face will be ruined soon.

“Oh, no, _baby_.” The endearment slips through the tall man’s lips and Kyungsoo almost gags. “Kyungsoo, can you listen to me for a second, please?”

Kyungsoo has to force himself to look at the man with dark-gray hair, whose appearance is so unfamiliar. His hands tremble where he’s clutching the hem of his jacket as he forces himself to ask the question, “What do I call you?”

“Jongin. Or whatever you want to — I know I deserve it.” He takes big steps around the table, happy for the progress, making Kyungsoo flinch before his face forms into confusion. Jongin notices it. “You don’t believe me, do you?”

He visibly deflates and for the first time, Kyungsoo really detects the frustration and sadness on the other’s face as well. He opens his mouth to say something, but the words seem to be stuck in his throat. He tries again with the same result once more. Everything he’s been trying to bottle up is starting to go overboard. The first tear falls and the air freezes around them.

Jongin hesitates for a fleeting moment before he opens his arms and whispers, voice full of pain and longing; “Kyungsoo.”

It’s incredible how that one whisper of his name can change the axis of his world.

Jongin is warm when Kyungsoo runs into his arms. He’s taller than Kyungsoo and a lot sturdier as well. Kyungsoo wraps his arms around the taller’s waist as he breaks down. The arms around him are strong and supporting like iron, pressing him against Jongin, never forceful. 

Kyungsoo shakes and trembles by the forces of his soundless cries. Jongin whispers apologies after apologies into his ears and strokes his back as a try to make him calm down, never letting go.

Eventually Kyungsoo’s tears turn into gasping breaths of air and trembling shoulders. He finally registers that Jongin has stopped moving his hands and is now only resting his head on top of Kyungsoo’s. They stay like that for a while, until Kyungsoo senses a droplet of cold against his scalp.

He carefully leans backwards, careful not to headbutt Jongin, who has tears on his sculpted face, too. Jongin’s surprise turns into a sad smile as he catches sight of Kyungsoo’s tear-stricken face. “You’re too pretty to cry like this”, he wipes gently some of the tears, “Look what I have done to your beautiful eyes.”

It makes Kyungsoo chuckle as he replicates the action, “I’m quite sure I should be saying that.” Kyungsoo’s face isn’t even in the same league as Jongin’s.

Jongin cups the hand on his jaw and shakes his head gently. His smile is lacking the sadness now. “I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve you.”

“I don’t know either.” Kyungsoo sighs and rests his head against the taller’s shoulder, soft breaths hitting the tan skin of his neck. The reality of the situation is coming back slowly. Do 'they' even exist?

This is Jongin's chance to come clean about everything he has to say — it’ll be too late after this. Reluctantly, he pulls his hand from Kyungsoo’s and moves it to cradle the face he’s been longing to touch. At the expectant look in the doe eyes in front of him, Jongin feels a tug in his heartstrings, prompting him to give Kyungsoo a feather-light kiss on the forehead.

“My word was face, you know.” He turns to face the table and walks a few steps until he stops in front of a chair and pulls it out from under the table.

Kyungsoo takes the wordless invitation and sits down, feeling appreciated with the way Jongin’s hands take every chance to touch him gently; hands; shoulders; neck; hair. It doesn’t bother him like it would with anyone else. “Mine was profession.” It’s a whisper but Jongin hears it regardless.

“Really?” He huffs out a small laugh, “That makes sense. I thought you’d be a baker or something, but you said you were an office worker — it sounded suspicious, but I thought nothing of it.”

“I’m a chef.” Kyungsoo looks up to see Jongin’s reaction and the eye-smile greeting him almost distracts him from the point of the conversation. “So… Your face?”

“Yeah, that. Where to start?” Jongin rubs his neck and sits onto the chair next to Kyungsoo. “My name is Kim Jongin, I’m 26-years-old and I have three dogs, all that jazz. Uhm-”

“Then, what-“, Kyungsoo diverts his eyes as from Jongin’s piercing gaze, “What about me?”

The latter catches Kyungsoo’s attention when he rests his arm on the table and leans on it to see Kyungsoo’s face better.

“You mesmerize me.” His words carry such a weight, only a silence can handle it. “Your love, dedication and attentiveness make me go mad time after time and I itch to be near you constantly. When I look at you, I just want to treat you better than anyone else ever has. In my eyes you’re the cutest and the most handsome man I’ve met to the point I just want to kiss you, _so bad_.”

The air is heavy and full of tension after Jongin’s confession. His stare pins Kyungsoo down onto his place, but Kyungsoo isn’t known for backing down.

He cocks his eyebrow, “So, why don’t you?”

Kyungsoo realizes right after Jongin’s victorious grin that it was a trap he fell into — this time, he doesn't mind it.

His lips get devoured in an instant as Jongin leans closer and pulls Kyungsoo’s chin to meet at the halfway. Kyungsoo's hands find their way into Jongin's hair, stroking his strong jaw, while their lips mold together. It's hurried and messy, full of tension that has gathered for days. Kyungsoo doesn't know where his lips end and Jongin's start, only that it feels so good. 

Jongin's hand is at the back of his neck to guide their movements while the other holds Kyungsoo's wrist. Their foreheads are pressed together and Kyungsoo feels like his soul is being sucked away — in the best possible way. When they slightly pull away to breathe, Kyungsoo can see Jongin's furrowed eyebrows and lust-blown eyes. 

As the pent-up tension fades, their kisses slow down, savoring the moment as long as they can. They slowly pull apart to catch their breaths but Jongin still steals another small kiss from his lips before moving back to sit properly onto his chair. “I’m already addicted.”

Kyungsoo laughs, feeling relieved suddenly. His smile widens when the younger guy inches his chair closer so he can reach to grab Kyungsoo’s hand. Luckily, Jongin has this side to him too, as Kyungsoo wouldn’t be able to handle hot and devious Jongin all the time. 

“Why did you lie about your face?” Kyungsoo remembers, not feeling betrayed anymore. He’d be quite dumb for not believing Jongin’s words after all that went down a minute ago.

“Actually, it’s because I’m-“, Jongin gets interrupted by the door suddenly opening. They turn their heads simultaneously to see who it is.

“Kyungsoo!”

He reacts to his name with a big smile and stands up, pulling Jongin up with him.

“Kai!” Sehyoon gasps as he registers Jongin’s existence and their interlocked fingers, “Jongin?”

Kyungsoo puts Sehyoon on hold with a wave of his hand as he whips his head to look at Jongin, “More names?” He’s dumbfounded and very eager to hear the explanation.

“I was about to tell you before we got interrupted”, he side-eyes Sehyoon, who lifts his hands in surrender, “I’m an idol. Kai is my stage name.”

“Makes sense that you’re a catfish.” Sehyoon puts his hands back down and takes steps towards them, “Someone would’ve recognized you otherwise.”

“I said that when I was asked to join — I wanted to use my real name and information at least. Take it or leave it.”

Their words come from one ear and leave from another, nothing registering to Kyungsoo. The name Kai rings bells and Kyungsoo really wants to know why.

“Is something wrong?” Jongin’s attention turns to him as he tries to connect the pieces by staring at the man in question. Why is he so familiar?

“Wait. Hold on, you’re not _the_ Kai, are you?” Kyungsoo’s voice lowers an octave, “The ‘first-gay-idol to come out publicly’ Kai?”

Jongin nods, shyly, and Kyungsoo gets weak-kneed by this new information. All the questions Jongin asked him when they first met, and the younger’s past breakdown fit right into the timeline. His reason for wanting to learn English must be to be able to converse with his international fans — shit.

“What about your fans, Jongin? They’re going to tear me apart for hurting you, you know. Your label? Career?”

“Have a little bit more faith in them, please?” Jongin crouches down to talk on the same level, “These are the same people that protected me and stayed with me when I came out. ‘A dating scandal’ is nothing compared to that. Besides, I reckon that now that they’ve seen me fall for you, they’ll be even more accepting.”

“Jongin has a point.” Sehyoon peaks over a chair to look at them, “It’d be totally different if he just announced ‘I have a boyfriend’ without them knowing about his sexuality, or your existence.”

“You sure?” Kyungsoo looks up at the both of them for confirmation. The last thing he wants is to destroy Jongin's career.

“Well, of course there’ll be some backlash that’s unavoidable-“, Sehyoon shuts his mouth after a sharp glance from Jongin’s direction. Kyungsoo’s expression turned concerned again.

“I made the decisions fully knowing the consequences — we’ll be alright.” Jongin looks straight into his big eyes before dropping his gaze onto the floor, “You’re so adorable when you’re worried for me.”

“I’m not.”

“As you say it, boss. Shall we get up?”

As soon they’re both back on their feet, Kyungsoo turns and gives Sehyoon a big welcome hug. It’s a relief someone is completely real in the end with him. Sehyoon squeezes him back, standing slightly taller than him.

“I dreamed of a group hug with you and Miyeon, but I guess this is the best we get, for now.”

“I got no hugs when he came, so be grateful.” Jongin sulks and huffs, “Enough, my turn.”

“Wonder why that is”, Kyungsoo rolls his eyes at Jongin’s accusation, but steps closer to him anyways only to get pushed aside by their bro-hug with a lot of back-patting and murmuring. He really thought Jongin meant him.

Kyungsoo sits back down as it seems they’ll never finish, but soon Jongin lets go and takes his place next to the chef.

“I got something you didn’t, though.”

He’s about to ask what that thing is, when he realizes Jongin is again talking to Sehyoon, whose name plate is across the table with his seat.

“I got a kiss. Lots of them, just so you know.”

“ _Jongin_.” Kyungsoo’s voice has a clear implication accompanied with even clearer pointed look.

“What?”

Sehyoon watches their interaction and chuckles, not bothered the least by Jongin’s possessiveness. “You feel like the couple that has been together for ages already.”

Kyungsoo’s not sure if that’s good or not. He looks at Jongin’s hands that are playing with his fingers before he looks up to see his expression. He gets surprised when he sees the idol looking back at him with a fond smile.

“Hey!” Chungha steps into the room, just like in her pictures. Her eye-makeup is on another level, accenting her pretty eyes. The smile on her face falls a little when she looks around the room. “Sehyoon, Kyungsoo and…?”

“Jongin.” Kyungsoo fills the silence when no one says anything.

“But he’s Kai.”

“That works, too.” Jongin answers this time. “Jongin is my real name, though, so I prefer that.”

“Oh, then, it’s nice to meet the real Jongin. And you two too.” She smiles and bows.

They all respond to her and Sehyoon rises to give her a hug. Kyungsoo greets her as well, this time stepping aside for Jongin to do the same. When they have done all the formalities, they sit back down, Chungha between Kyungsoo and Sehyoon.

“So, you two are an item, still?”

Kyungsoo knew the question would come as she was suspiciously glancing them and their interlocked hands. He deems it’s a question for him — he was the one being catfished after all.

“I guess so”, he watches out for Jongin’s reaction. They aren’t official yet and he doesn’t want to expect anything anytime soon — even if Jongin said he’ll ask Kyungsoo out when they meet face-to-face for the first time.

The younger only nods and smiles, all while giving Kyungsoo’s hand a promising squeeze, like a promise.

“That’s incredible”, she sounds genuine and goes as far as to give them tiny seal-like claps. “I don’t think I could forgive my boyfriend, if he catfished, but I’m glad you could Kyungsoo. You look good together”

“You have a boyfriend?”

Sehyoon gasps and Kyungsoo laughs, answering to the model and the artist at the same time.

“Thanks, Chungha, but I think Jongin has that kind of an effect with everyone.” Although Jongin’s glow can make Kyungsoo look good with him, it can backfire as well, making Kyungsoo look blander and more boring than usual. He turns his attention to Sehyoon, “I think she meant that _if_ she had a boyfriend.”

“Who has a boyfriend?” A female voice interrupts them, coming from the head between the door and the doorframe.

“Me! Hyuna!” Chungha answers before she springs up, almost knocking the chair down as she runs to her. “It’s really you! You look so beautiful in that dress!”

They share a long hug with a lot of excited stomping while Kyungsoo and the rest stand up to welcome the last player. All of their faces are gleeful; only one catfish — who no one sees as one — within the finalists.

“Kyungsoo and let me guess… Jongin? Do _you_ have boyfriends now?” She’s teasing them and Kyungsoo loves the real her even more than the Circle her. She seems freer this way.

“One thing at a time, Hyuna, one thing at a time.” Jongin takes the responsibility of figuring out what to answer while she gives him a big hug.

“What? I thought we’d have a wedding today — speeding things a little.”

“I was betting on an engagement, but that works too”, Sehyoon joins her as Kyungsoo fans his face, willing the blushing to go away.

“I was hoping on not getting dumped — or slapped— so lower the expectations some more.”

“Then, we're glad Kyungsoo didn’t slap you because your fans would’ve been pissed.”

“I don’t think I have that in me anyways. Besides, he’s too good-looking to get hit.”

They converse some more as all of them settle down, gossiping about Chungha’s secret boyfriend and Jongin’ super duper supporting and loving fans. Kyungsoo keeps quiet mostly, choosing to enjoy watching them bicker back and forth.

His eyes catch movement at the door, his seat positioned directly opposite of it. The others don’t notice the door opening slowly behind them.

“What is this?” He asks when a man steps in, who only lifts a finger up to his lips when the other players are too busy to hear his question. Kyungsoo is too shocked to disobey.

“Did you say something?” Jongin turns his attention to Kyungsoo after he finishes a passionate rant about… French fries? Kyungsoo didn’t pay attention.

Kyungsoo responds a second too late as Jongin looks up to see what’s he looking at.

“AHHhhh!” Jongin spasms on his chair and flails his arms out, hitting Kyungsoo’s glass of water and spilling it on the table.

His reaction startles the women too, but Sehyoon just turns around to face the source of the commotion, “Who are you?”

Kyungsoo tries to clean up the mess the best he can while Jongin clutches his racing heart, unable to help. Kyungsoo's curious, but the man asked him to be silent, so he stays that way.

“I’m Hyojong. The sixth finalist.”

The room falls silent. What?

OOO

“You’re so cute. So small.”

Kyungsoo frowns, but he can’t deny Lucas. He’s so genuine with his compliments — and it’s not the first time he’s heard the accusation, anyways.

“Kai, wow, it’s Jongin. You’re so handsome and nice. I would’ve wanted to play with you two.”

Jongin hugs Lucas and Kyungsoo locks eyes with the taller. “Yeah, it’s a shame.” He watches them exchange a few more words, realizing Jongin and Lucas are not that far apart, height-wise. “Do you see me like that too, Jongin?”

He’s clearly confused for a second, but catches himself before answering the first thing on his mind.

“Say it.”

“Well, you’re shorter than me, and you have a cute side to you, so…”

Jongin is entertaining when he’s trying to find the right answer; raised eyebrows and wandering eyes. Kyungsoo supports himself on Jongin's shoulder and whispers into his ear, “I’ll let you call me that, for now, and only you.”

Jongin’s face lights up as he grins. He grabs Kyungsoo by his waist and gives him a big kiss on the temple, “You’re so adorable.”

Kyungsoo looks around to see if anyone saw that, but it looks like everyone is busy focusing on mingling and meeting all the past contestants. With the new reassurance, he leans his head against the neck in front of him and enjoys the one moment of peace in Jongin’s arms.

“Oh, don’t mind me, I’ll just leave now.” Lucas speaks up, getting their attention. Kyungsoo feels sorry for making him third wheel them after completely forgetting him. “Let’s keep in touch, right?”

Kyungsoo and Jongin nod and wave to Lucas as they watch him go greet Sehyoon who’s talking with Jackson.

“I bet he’s fanboying over you.” Jongin glares at the trio, where Lucas gestures wildly. Kyungsoo flashes a smile when Lucas turns to check whether they noticed. When their eyes meet, the taller hides his head in Sehyoon’s shoulder out of embarrassment. “See?”

“Yeah, but it’s you who I’m with.” The words fall from his lips naturally, without him noticing the corniness.

The dinner went by in a flash after solving Hyojong’s mystery — Hyuna kissed him out of the blue. They had been playing the game as a couple, using her information and face. Chungha took the news the hardest as she was the closest to Hyuna, but over the dinner everything smoothed out naturally. It was clear that Hyuna had been herself the most, Hyojong fine tuning her words.

The clock on the wall tells Kyungsoo there's around five minutes left before the filming continues. They already filmed their entrances to the studio where they’ll be having the final. At first, Kyungsoo was terrified of meeting all the players he blocked — especially Hye-Jin — but it turned out less scary than he originally thought.

Jackson was super chill about his short game, congratulating them for their new-found relationship as well as their places at the final, easing Kyungsoo’s burden. As Yuri has only talked with her friends Kyungsoo hasn’t had the opportunity to talk with her but they did have the ‘nod and smile’-acknowledgement — Kyungsoo hopes she doesn’t hate him.

The last but not the least person Kyungsoo blocked, Hye-Jin, was nice as well. She did apologize for throwing Jongin under the bus for her own personal gain, making Kyungsoo respect her more. There was some friction in the air, but all of them chose to leave all the bad at the Circle, she even congratulated Kyungsoo for figuring her plan.

“Where did your mind run off to?” Jongin swipes hairs away from his face, waking Kyungsoo up from his reverie, “Is there something more interesting than the Circle’s finale?”

“No, I was just thinking back on today. I never expected that I’d get to meet everyone like this — the rest of you didn’t feel real.”

Jongin hums and runs his hand down Kyungsoo’s back. “I met Yongguk during the game, so had that already. I’m sure this is a lot.”

Kyungsoo presses himself closer to Jongin, his eyes automatically looking for Yongguk. He was more iconic in real life than what Kyungsoo and Baekhyun deemed, but just like Jongin said, his face and personality don't match. Jongin and Yongguk hit it off again immediately so Kyungsoo’s sure he’ll get to know the producer better as well.

“Two women approaching at three o’clock. Ten steps left.” Jongin whispers when he notices Kyungsoo resting his eyes against his chest.

He slowly opens his eyes and turns to look at the two of them. Kyungsoo recognizes Jihyo as soon as he sees her, but the other woman is someone he doesn’t know. With quick deduction Kyungsoo rules out all the staff as they’re busy starting to film in three minutes. He knows every contestant by their video messages — except for Eunki.

“You were a catfish, _too_?” Kyungsoo’s voice is part frustrated, part embarrassed. Miyeon and Eunki, both of them were people he really liked, both of them being complete catfishes. His intuition sucks.

“Yeah, sorry guys, for everything.” The woman with a long brown hair and impressive height smiles. “I felt terrible making up those stories, but it was my only way getting closer to winning. Again, I’m sorry and I hope you’ll forgive me. I want all the best to you.”

“It definitely wasn’t fun, but I’m sure we grew stronger from that.” Jongin looks at Kyungsoo for confirmation, before he continues, “Besides, the Circle is what it is. I lied about myself too, and I’ve been forgiven — it applies to you, too.”

“Let’s start over.” Kyungsoo speaks up, catching the attention, “Hi, I’m Kyungsoo and this is Jongin.” He bows his head a little, forcing Jongin to imitate him. These are the people Kyungsoo hated few days ago — something he doesn't want to carry with himself forever.

“I’m Yoorim. It’s nice to meet you two. Here’s Jihyo.”

Jihyo bows as well, but Kyungsoo can see she’s not feeling it. The way she lifted her eyebrows and looked at Jongin as if asking if they’re really doing this was enough for Kyungsoo to know.

“Nice to meet you. I wish you all the best.”

Kyungsoo can’t be sure if it’s just him or is her voice lacking sincerity. He takes a step away from Jongin and links their arms together so everyone can see it’s his arm there. The change of position puts him between Jongin’s eye-contact with the blonde, but that wasn’t his main intention.

He more feels than hears the light chuckle Jongin lets out, realizing Kyungsoo’s motive. Yoorim’s smile indicates the same — Kyungsoo doesn’t dare to look at Jihyo’s reaction out of shame.

“Kyungsoo! Jongin!” The awkward silence is cut with Jungkook’s call as he nears their group with Sehyoon.

Jihyo and Yoorim choose leave before they get in the way of their reunion. Kyungsoo only offers an apologetic smile when they turn to leave.

During the fleeting moment between the women leaving and Jungkook arriving, Jongin interlocks the fingers of their linked arms and lifts Kyungsoo’s hand onto his lips. Kyungsoo was prepared for PDA, nothing disgustingly sweet, but that’s not what he gets.

“Jelly”, Jongin mouths against his skin with a smirk, eyes locked with Kyungsoo’s. Kyungsoo feels the heat escaping onto his cheeks — Jongin has no right to come for him like that.

Sehyoon and Jungkook save him from further comments about his behavior when they pull him into a group hug from Jongin’s arms. It’s full of warmth as they’re finally all together, live, face-to-face.

“Kyungsoo~ You’re such a nice person I feel really bad for lying to you”, Jungkook whines as he pulls away to see him.

“How am I so nice?” Kyungsoo’s a little bashful after hearing the words, “If anyone, you are.”

“Haven’t you heard already?” Jungkook gasps, “Half of the episodes have aired already. I saw how much you liked Miyeon.”

Kyungsoo totally forgot the airing schedule was that tight so they don’t need to hide for long after filming. The blocked players have already seen his opinions and thoughts about them, Lucas and Jackson included. For the first time, he regrets his off-hand remarks.

“Then, soon you’ll see that you being you doesn’t bother me. If I got over Jongin being Kai, you’re fine.”

“I said the same, but he didn’t listen.” Sehyoon sighs and drapes his arm over Jungkook’s shoulder, “We know you and Miyeon are similar personality-wise and that’s all what matters. Together ,until the end, remember?”

“We made a promise, so we expect you to follow through. ”They turn to look at the youngest. A broad smile is on his face, making his cheeks scrunch up and eyes crease despite their glassiness.

“Of course! I won’t leave you even if you want me to now!”

“What about me? Do I qualify as a member?” Jongin sees it’s his moment to step closer to them, becoming a part of their circle.

Sehyoon pretends to think about his words thoroughly, “Well you’re almost like a package-deal with Kyungsoo, so I guess… We are the OG members though. Upgrade possible if we get tickets to your next concert.”

“That’s a deal.” Jongin reaches out to shake hands with Sehyoon to seal the deal. “Consider it done.”

“Minute left before we start! All the finalists and past players, onto your places!”

“That’s our cue.” Jungkook states the obvious, “I’ll be cheering you on from there.” He points out the barstools located in front of the fake bar at the back.

Hyuna, Hyojong and Sehyoon take the couch nearer to their interviewer, Junmyeon, while Chungha, Jongin and Kyungsoo take the other. The lights directed towards them are so bright Kyungsoo is unable to see past them.

Junmyeon walks onto the stage, greeting all the finalists and the crew as he takes his place. Kyungsoo feels more at ease as he knows Junmyeon is very natural and good with his job from the previous times they’ve worked together.

“Do I look okay?”, Jongin whispers, stealing Kyungsoo’s attention. The older checks if anything looks out of place, straightening the crooked tie before he looks up to Jongin’s glimmering eyes.

He looks even more handsome now with all the lights on him, making his tan skin pop, eyeshadow glittering and warmth radiating off of his smile. There’s no doubt whether Jongin belongs to the stage. “You look enthralling, love.”

Jongin preens at the compliment and takes Kyungsoo’s hand into his. “So do you, baby.” He whispers it into Kyungsoo’s hair, where he places a light kiss as if to confirm the words before he leans back as the filming starts.

OOO

Kyungsoo offers Jongin a reassuring smile when Junmyeon tells it’s his turn now. Even without any words, Kyungsoo senses that Jongin is jittery — if Kyungsoo got thorough his own part, Jongin will as well.

The remarks Junmyeon made weren't that bad, only some teasing between serious questions. The clips they’ve seen on the other hand have caused second-hand embarrassment and a lot of laughter because of all the dumb things the other finalists have said and done.

After seeing Sehyoon pretend to be a bird and a cow — at the same time—, Hyuna and Hyojong having a pajama dance-off with the dumbest moves and Chungha not understanding the meaning behind suggesting emojis, Kyungsoo was prepared for his own video.

The compilation of him chocking and spilling his drinks was there, just like he thought it'd be. The part that made him cringe the most was the sensual edit of him doing pilates and Jongin's... interest in that. Apparently, he felt cheated because Kyungsoo hadn't prepared the younger by telling him beforehand.

It was all forgotten when Jongin saw the last part of the video, point of it to show his emotional attachment to Nini. If it had been just that, Kyungsoo could've watched it, albeit reluctantly, but because it showed him during his lowest points of the game, he had to cover his eyes for the better half of the clip. There was the time he had a fever, all the times he had cried and the times when he relied on Nini for support. 

Jongin had been silent next to him, so Kyungsoo didn't know what his reaction was. When the video was over, the way Jongin softly pried his hands away from his face, and the soft expression on his face was more than enough for Kyungsoo to understand. 

The idol had bopped his nose as a try to cheer him up, before leaning his head on Kyungsoo's, whispering, " _I'm so glad I chose that teddy bear. So glad_."

Kyungsoo doesn't see any reason for Jongin to be nervous after all of that.

“So, Jongin, or Kai, the worldwide heartthrob of Korea — who has sold more than 900k copies of his last album. What made you want to take part in the Circle?” Junmyeon turns his cue card and reads forward, “You haven’t appeared in any programs since you came out little over a year ago. Why the Circle?”

Jongin looks relaxed as he listens to the question, smiling shyly at the mention of his achievement but Kyungsoo can feel how his fingers tighten around Kyungsoo’s the longer the host goes on.

“To be accurate, I was banned from appearing on certain channels so that narrowed the choices down for me.” Jongin reveals casually as if he’s used to the treatment, which he probably is. Kyungsoo can feel sympathetic eyes all around them as he adds his free hand on top of Jongin’s. “The Circle seemed like a chance to be myself, make connections as Jongin without any of the stigma that comes with being a celebrity, like the others have mentioned already.”

“Did the Circle’s format affect your decision?”

“That was a big part actually. Firstly, I felt like I owed my fans a lot for being away from the spotlight for so long. I thought that seeing me here is more rewarding for them than seeing me ten minutes in some talk show, talking.” Jongin glances at Kyungsoo’s reaction, who smiles in response to his considerate thoughts for his fans. “Secondly, I thought that people should see that I’m not any different to them even if I’m gay. I eat, work out, have a bad bed hair, read, you name it. I only happen to have the privilege to love guys like Kyungsoo.”

Kyungsoo startles at the sudden mention of his name, all the eyes now on him. The only reasonable response is to hide his face into Jongin’s bicep, “Privilege my ass”, his murmuring is low enough for the mics miss it, but Jongin hears it and chuckles.

“Yes, _your_ ass.” The low growl sends chills down Kyungsoo’s spine. Why is Jongin so unreasonably hot at times like this?

Minute ago, Kyungsoo was swooning over Jongin’s big heart and the sacrifices he makes for the gay community by sharing his private life to the public, in the hope of change and awareness, only to end up like this.

“Speaking about Kyungsoo and you, when you two met, you made sure to ask Kyungsoo if he’s comfortable with media attention. Did you anticipate an outcome like this even from the beginning, and what do you think the response is?” Junmyeon smiles fondly at them, clearly on their side.

Kyungsoo can remember vividly their date and how confused he was by Jongin. He agreed to everything because he honestly never expected anything to this extent. If he had said that he was uncomfortable with getting attention for his sexuality, they most likely wouldn’t be here, together.

“I never saw something like this coming, I was just being cautious — I was fortunate, in a way,” Jongin starts, “In the sense that Kyungsoo is already a celebrity. He is already acquainted with the way fame works, the public’s reaction won’t be a total shock — at least as bad as if I had pulled a non-celeb into this mess. I was lucky because he was willing to take the risk with me. All though I’m sure that if I had been 100% honest from the start, we wouldn’t be here. No one in their right mind would say yes.”

Kyungsoo huffs at that, amused, because Jongin is right. If Jongin would’ve asked him at the beginning would he be ready to face the public with the first idol to come out as gay as well as his millions of fans’ opinion, Kyungsoo would’ve backed out, no doubt.

“What comes to the response, only thing I can do is hope. I know I have my fans, but some will leave, and I can’t stop them. For the public, I hope that most people are either positive or indifferent, but there’ll be haters no matter what I say. The most I hope that Kyungsoo won’t get hurt because he doesn’t deserve any of it.”

“It’s too late already.” Kyungsoo interrupts him, slightly offended. "Now that I’m out as well, I have the responsibility of spreading awareness as a celebrity, anyways.”

“I tend to forget that you’re more than capable of protecting yourself.” Jongin says with admiration. “Actually, not just that. The way you stand up for yourself and others is something I should learn too.”

Kyungsoo is about respond to that, reminding Jongin how he has already done that by coming out, but Junmyeon steps in before he can start.

“Before the lovebirds can have their first fight over who is more amazing, let’s have a look how Jongin’s stay went.” The host sends an apologetic smile to them before he, too, turns his head towards the screen.

The video begins to play, and Kyungsoo sees Jongin’s apartment for the first time as Jongin, dressed in sweatpants and a tee, gathers things he needs to go to the gym. An army of stuffed toys, mainly bear-shaped, line his bed and windowsills. Kyungsoo had already guessed Jongin is very child-like at times, but he being into cute stuff surprises him.

_“Water bottle, shoes, towel, towel, book, change of clothes, shampoo, shower gel, weights, weight-training belt, protein shake and lip balm”,_ Jongin lists as he gathers the things one by one into his arms. The way half of the things are staying in place with will-power only, Kyungsoo is doubtful if he’ll survive like the way to the gym.

Jongin doesn’t take ten steps before the first things fall in the hallway. Stubbornly, he continues after picking them up with great effort.

_“Left, right, left, right”,_ Jongin psyches himself, talking in pout. This time it looks a lot steadier. _“WHat?!”_

Jongin flinches as an alert rings, causing his well-established balance to sway. The things fall out of his hands one by one, leaving devastated Jongin standing in the hallway when the clip changes. 

_“Join my silent dance party”,_ he shouts, alone in what seems to be his sleepwear — loose sweats hanging low on his hips, without any shirt.

Kyungsoo is torn between cooing over Jongin’s cute dance moves in the silence, vibing to the music playing in his head and losing his mind over Jongin’s body. It doesn’t take a scientist to figure out Jongin is in good shaped even with his clothes on, but seeing perfection is a different experience than knowing perfection exists.

Suddenly, Jongin’s arm and thigh against his feel a lot harder. Kyungsoo gulps loud enough for Jongin to hear, but he’s too ashamed to look at Jongin. Kyungsoo is hyper-aware of the hand that Jongin rests on his thigh, and the smirk that finds its way onto Jongin’s face. He knows Kyungsoo is affected.

The following video relieves Kyungsoo’s plight as it’s a complication of Jongin’s laugh.

Most of the times his uncontrollable laughter causes something to break thanks to the way Jongin tends to stop his feet, clap, or hit things when he’s overjoyed. It’s a disaster, but Kyungsoo finds the little quirk adorable. The laugh is hearty guffaw, making the people watching join in.

Jongin scratches his neck, suddenly embarrassed. Kyungsoo tries to hide his smile, but it’s impossible when Jongin sounds so happy laughing to everything.

The last clip of his laughter ends when a weight falls onto the ground and Jongin visibly jumps. The video changes immediately.

_“Is it 100% certain that this place isn’t haunted?”_

_“I’m sorry to every ghost I’ve ever disrespected, I ask you to leave me alone.”_

_“Hello? Is someone there?”_

_“Did that plant move? Am I seeing things?”_

_“How are you? I’m fine. Thank you for asking. What is your favorite food? Fried chicken? Mine too! What a coincidence.”_

_“I played with you yesterday, please don’t move my stuff anymore.”_

The videos are cuts of Jongin getting scared by things like gravity and his own forgetfulness, which makes the Jongin besides Kyungsoo hide his head into his knees, pretending those incidents didn’t happen.

Kyungsoo comforts him with petting his back, still smiling at the cuteness. When the last part of the video begins, both of their heads turn onto the screen.

The clips are fast, edited back-to-back without any context. The point of the videos is the word Jongin repeats, Kyungsoo’s name.

Kyungsoo can only rely on his make up, not to show the redness of his cheeks and ears. It’s confusing to hear his own name whispered, shouted, murmured and questioned so many times. There isn’t a way Jongin hasn’t said it. He has stretched and shortened it, said it with confusion or even anger, with laughter or just neutrally.

Jongin, or what is left of him, is gradually sliding down on the couch, betrayed by everyone as more people turn to look at him teasingly.

_“And this, it’s for you, Kyungsoo.”_ The full sentence catches everyone’s attention again.

It’s a slideshow pictures, instead of a video. Each picture is of Jongin in the most ridiculous positions, dressed in the same suit he’s wearing now. Kyungsoo smiles at his antics, about to ask what’s going on when he catches what’s happening on his own.

One by one the pictures come and gather next to each other, the body-letters forming three words. _Be my boyfriend?_

“Jongin?”

The younger guy has straightened his posture, clinging onto Kyungsoo’s hand, his other hand clutching the back of his neck, “Well?” He tilts his head towards the screen, biting his lip, anxious.

Kyungsoo makes his decision, and let’s out the breath he’s holding. As if his energy just disappeared, he rests his head on Jongin’s shoulder, before forcing himself up and out of Jongin’s reach.

The studio is dead-silent when Kyungsoo stands there, in front of Jongin. He can see Sehyoon and Chungha’s confused, if not disapproving stares and he curses himself.

He strikes a pose.

Then another one, and finally the last one.

“Well?” Kyungsoo mimics Jongin’s tone and waits for his response as the other stares back, dumbfounded.

He’s not ready for Jongin’s bear-hug, but he welcomes it anyway with wrapping his arms around the idol’s neck. Jongin lifts him in the air and sways them from side to side as he breathes in Kyungsoo, lathering his shoulder in small kisses. Kyungsoo breathes out a laugh and holds on for dear life.

“I thought you were going to say no. I was so scared.” Jongin murmurs and puts Kyungsoo’s feet back onto the ground, still holding his waist tightly, “You surprise me time after time after time and like you so much I’m scared.”

“I couldn’t leave you alone with that embarrassment.” Kyungsoo explains. “I like you more.”

Jongin seals their new relationship status with a kiss on Kyungsoo’s lips, holding back for the sake of everyone else in the room.

OOO

“The votes have been counted and last ratings results for the Circle Korea are in.”

Kyungsoo smiles at Sehyoon on his right before turning his head to Jongin, who's already watching him.

“The fifth place goes to…” Junmyeon stretches the wait for a second, making all of the finalist turn to each other nervously, “Chungha!”

Kyungsoo sighs, relieved, and turns to see her reaction.

She smiles without a hint of disappointment on her face. Hyuna pulls her into a hug, whispering something to her, before letting go so the rest of them can offer her pats on the back, too. Kyungsoo watches her walk away and checks out the other finalists’ faces.

Jongin’s expression is neutral but the grip on Kyungsoo’s hand is not. Sehyoon radiates relaxation on the other side of him. Hyuna and Hyojong are leaning onto each other, Hyuna clearly more nervous than her boyfriend. For Kyungsoo, he has his stoic mode on, smile glued onto his face. He’s nervous and excited but doesn’t know how to show it naturally.

“Four places left”, Junmyeon starts when the commotion dies down as they return to their places, “All of you have survived better than two thirds of all the contestants, which is an incredible feat itself. The person, who takes the fourth place of the Circle Korea is…”

Kyungsoo keeps breathing in and out steadily, reminding himself to keep calm. He gently thumbs over Jongin’s hand to relieve his nervousness as it’s the least he can do.

“Kyungsoo.”

All the weight is lifted off his shoulders and a relieved smile breaks on his face. A part of him is disappointed, but this is how it went and he can’t do anything about it.

“No, Kyungsoo”, Jongin turns and pulls him into his arms, “You should’ve been at the top, more than me.”

Kyungsoo pushes Jongin away, only to see an expression resembling like a kicked puppy. “Jongin, don’t say that. You, Sehyoon, Hyuna and Hyojong all deserve to win. I’m more than happy seeing you and Sehyoon in the top three, so focus on winning, _please_.”

Kyungsoo takes a step back so Sehyoon can give him a hug as well. Both of them look like the world fell at their feet.

“Boys, get your head in the game. You have the chance to win a billion won, so focus — for me and Jungkook. I’ll be cheering for you by his side.” He gives them a joint hug hurriedly, pecking Jongin’s jaw as a special treat, as Junmyeon is urging him to move on already.

He passes Hyuna and Hyojong, both giving his hand a squeeze, showing their support without any words. Kyungsoo smiles and bows a little to thank them.

Jungkook welcomes him with a half-hug, knowing how it feels. Kyungsoo isn’t as surprised as he first thought himself to be, he just wants Sehyoon and Jongin do well. They’re both so likable people it wouldn’t be a shock if either of them won.

“Now we have the Circle's the top three, meaning you’ve beaten ten other Players. All of you have definitely deserved your place here.” Junmyeon waits as he gets the information into his earpiece before continuing.

Kyungsoo wishes he could see their faces, but the bar is located on the back left, and the four last people are standing diagonally, their backs facing the past contestants.

“Hyuna and Hyojong take the third place, leaving Sehyoon and Jongin as the two people competing for the highest popularity amongst all the players.”

All four of them give hugs back and forth, congratulating each other. It takes less time than with Kyungsoo, or that’s how it feels like.

“You two are left, both belonging to the same alliance as co-contestants Jungkook and Kyungsoo, Jongin’s now-boyfriend — congratulations, by the way. How does it to feel to be competing against each other for the money?”

They exchange glances before Sehyoon speaks up first.

“I never thought I’d get this far, so I’m be fine being the second, especially if it’s Jongin who I lose to.” He pauses as he gathers his thoughts, “I’m glad to know that being myself was enough to survive in a game based on popularity, and I hope that someone watching me learned that you don’t have to be extraordinary, loud or extroverted to achieve great things. Being yourself is more than enough.”

Jungkook casts a look at Kyungsoo, knowing that both of them are feeling proud of Sehyoon, admiring his gentle heart and mind. Others have seen it too; the way he cares and appreciates the world around him on a different level than many others.

“Just hearing Sehyoon’s words, I know that the title of the Circle’s winner will be in good hands if it’s handed to him. I don’t know what else to say — I’m here only thanks to the other contestants that have ranked me high and saved me during the blockings. It’s all thanks to you”, Jongin turns around and bows, thanking all of them, Kyungsoo included.

“The ratings have spoken and the winner of the Circle Korea — the celebrity edition is now clear.” Junmyeon pauses dramatically as his speech is louder and more articulate than before. “Out of the two of them, Sehyoon and Jongin, the winner of the prize money of one billion won, and the title as the winner will go to…”

Kyungsoo grips Jungkook’s arm in a deathly grip, feeling nervous for no apparent reason. Jongin is more jittery than before, even the ever-as-calm Sehyoon is showing some signs of nervousness. The suspense continues and tension fills the air like never before. Kyungsoo has never felt something like this.

“Congratulations, Jongin!”

The winner himself stands there, in shock and mouth agape when Sehyoon hugs him, Kyungsoo running over to them, throwing all the caution out of the window.

“Jongin, you did it! You won!” Kyungsoo hangs himself to Jongin’s neck as the younger recovers and a grin takes over his face. He holds Kyungsoo’s head in place when he presses a fervent kiss onto his lips, celebrating.

A mass of people crushes them between the group hug as confetti rains over their heads, covering them. Congratulations are thrown around but the source of them is hard to define over all the noise in the room. Eventually Junmyeon comes to break the group apart to hand Jongin the check.

“Jongin, tell us your feelings now that you are the winner”, Junmyeon asks when they settle down a little.

“I can’t think of anything sensible right now!” Jongin laughs his hearty laugh, making all of them smile with him, “I’m insanely happy right now. I got way more out of this experience than I could’ve guessed; I met so many great people, learned a lot about the world as well as about myself, I got to show a lot of other sides of me to my fans, and I got to meet Kyungsoo — my _boyfriend_. Right now, I feel like the happiest man on earth.”

Junmyeon comments something to that, but Kyungsoo’s attention is at the door, where a group of people are nearing them. Two of them are looking at him specifically, making kissy-faces, and Kyungsoo immediately recognizes them as his producers, even without having seen them ever before.

Kyungsoo wouldn’t call himself sensitive nor emotional, but the situation is making his tear ducts work. The joy in the air is so genuine, so fulfilling and warm despite it being a competition where they all met. After going through a lot, all alone, this seems like a fairytale or a fever dream.

Jongin catches his eyes from a couple of feet away from his side, surrounded by Yongguk, Sehyoon and Jungkook. He shines so bright, so enticing and lovely, eyes smiling, his face morphed in a huge grin, laughing. The sight is almost ethereal from his godly features to the glimmer in his eyes. Happiness suits him.

He beckons Kyungsoo to come over, so Kyungsoo follows, eyes starting to gloss over.

Jongin notices it immediately, focusing on him solely, “You okay?”

His attentiveness only fuels Kyungsoo’s overwhelment, having his mixed emotions coil over in a wet laugh, coming straight from his heart. “A little overwhelmed, but okay.”

Jongin smiles at him, wiping a tear from his cheek, and pulling Kyungsoo to his side. Kyungsoo wraps his arms around Jongin’s waist, feeling Jongin’s lips on his temple, making his heart skip a beat.

Kyungsoo listens to his boyfriend’s steady heartbeat, contentment filling his veins. Jongin by his side is enough to make him defeat any obstacle coming towards them. Jongin’s laugh rumbles inside his chest and Kyungsoo can feel that this is _it_.

His happiness, the place he belongs to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!
> 
> We're finally here after a long and emotional journey. Although, this is not the end yet, because I'll be writing an epilogue.(That's why this isn't completed yet) I know I always say that maybe there'll be one, someday, - and then two years pass and nothing happens. (I am still planning on writing them, at the first quarter of next year.) This time I PROMISE, I'll write it asap after two big writing projects!
> 
> This chapter was a pain to write. I cried like ten times during proofreading only, so yeah.
> 
> I knew she was going to be a big one, but I was like '10k of words for one chapter?? That's a lot', so I made the outline and estimated this to be 8.6k words, okay, better. The first draft was 10k and the kiss or anything about Kyungsoo's interview wasn't written yet, yikes. I deleted 2k of stuff, added 1.3k. Proofread once again, deleted stuff and added the same amount, as well as additional 0.6k.
> 
> 9.9k is basically the 10k that I thought was too much, but I feel like it's already lacking in description so I can't cut down anymore, at least now. Last night I went to sleep at like 4AM because I was writing and proofreading this after working on this for the whole day. Today as well.
> 
> Mood currently; head empty, I don't know what time is it because we moved the clocks. Maybe I'll feel like a winner when I post this? 
> 
> I've used more time on this than I can count and I just wish i could show you the extent of notes I have of everything, both digitally and written by hand. Regardless, this has been fun. I remember when I started and I thought; 'There's no way this'll work and I'll finish this.' - I made it, I don't know how but I survived lol
> 
> I want to thank Spotify, Word, Wikipedia, tea, myself (for pulling through and having a bomb music taste), and the most importantly, YOU! Everyone who has taken their time to read TFR, comment or upvote, has motivated me to write, to make the plot twists better and to better my writing! I can't express my gratitude enough! I love you all<3
> 
> Take care of yourselves, and thank you sooooooo much! See you at the epilogue at least, yeah?
> 
> Bye bye!


	13. EP XX: I (DON'T) LIVE ALONE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> cuddles, snuggles and forgotten dance lessons!

“Oh my god, I missed you love!” Jongin pounces onto Kyungsoo, who struggles within the bone-crushing hug, as his hands are overflowing stuff like the leashes of his dogs and a huge teddy bear, for starters. “It’s been so long since I’ve last seen you.”

The familiar melody of his door code was enough for Jongin to drop everything, pause the episode he was watching, and skip to the door — three dogs right behind his heels. He gave the incomer no time to prepare himself.

Kyungsoo chuckles lightly from somewhere under Jongin, face buried by the thick scarf Jongin gifted him for their anniversary, “Yeah, yeah. Give me a moment and a helping hand, please.”  
  


Reluctantly, Jongin obeys, stepping back and helping the older detangle the leashes out of his hands. Meokmul sprints out of their view as soon as Jongin lets him go, while Huchu prefers to jump into his awaiting arms.

Jongin sweet-talks the dog into oblivion as he gives the pet some belly rubs. He can feel a pair of eyes looking down on him, looking up to find Kyungsoo smiling fondly at their interaction.

“He kept whining the entire ride, knowing it’s the route to you”, Kyungsoo rolls his eyes, faking annoyance, “Someone is clearly playing favorites.”

The toy poodle in his arms snuggles closer to Jongin’s body, as if confirming his owner’s words. Jongin can’t help the victorious grin that takes over his face; he knew he could trust Huchu.

Without another word, but with a disbelieving huff, Kyungsoo takes the bags he disregarded from the floor and makes his way to the kitchen, avoiding the intense chase-down their other dogs are having. Jongin is about to follow him right behind after putting Huchu — who kicked him in the stomach for not doing it earlier — down but sees the bane of his existence left at the door.

“You, mister Nini, are coming with me”, Jongin swoops the bear into his arms and takes a detour as he drops by his bedroom to leave the gift next to all the other bears, “You are probably the best gift I’ve ever given but still, enough is enough. I can bet Kyungsoo has hugged you way more times than me to sleep.”

With those words, he turns around to return to Kyungsoo, finding him nearly done with unpacking. The only bag that has not been opened yet is a small suitcase at the corridor, probably containing his toiletries and some clothes he wanted to bring back home while Jongin was away.

“I brought your mom’s side-dish containers so we can bring them with us when we go to visit her”, Kyungsoo points to the corner of Jongin’s all-white kitchen where he put the plastic bag, “Would you do the favor and put them into the cupboard for me, Ni?”

Jongin ignores his words and brackets the older with his hands, resting his head on the shoulder before him, chest and back against each other, “Can’t I stay here for a while?”

He can feel Kyungsoo turning his head to look at him, “ _Jongin_ ”, and the tone of his voice is enough for Jongin to get the negative signal.

Taking a deep breath in, cherishing the fact he’s finally surrounded by Kyungsoo’s scent, he hums, knowing from experience he’ll be rewarded faster if he listens now. Kyungsoo can be frustratingly stubborn when it comes to doing things at his pace, in a sensible order.

Besides, Kyungsoo won’t hesitate to slap Jongin’s hands away — even with the cameras trained on them.

“Why do we even have these?” Jongin opens the cabinet at the corner, absent-mindedly, remembering one moment too late that’s where the pots and pans are. He freezes, trying to come up with the correct place for the glass containers, drawing up blank. “No offence to my mom, but your cooking is and will always be superior to me.”

“She gave them to me while you were away as I appreciate her food obviously more”, Kyungsoo steps away from the island and opens the correct one, noticing Jongin’s internal dilemma. Like he always does. “Here.”

Jongin swears his heart won’t ever stop doing somersaults Kyungsoo does the simplest things — like knowing his kitchen better than Jongin himself, or just unconsciously understanding what Jongin needs. Domesticity wasn’t on his mind when they first got together but Kyungsoo delivered anyway, and Jongin can’t more thankful.

“I love you.”

“You better do”, Kyungsoo washes his hands and shoots Jongin a grin, “Two people today actually had the nerve to ask me if we had broken up — would’ve been awkward if you didn’t after the lecturing I gave them.”

“We keep making headlines even after four years together and an engagement announcement”, he shakes his head, “Though the comments were a complete slander with facts from my fans towards the news station — sometimes I feel like they like you more than me.”

“As if. They love that I love you; there’s a difference”, Kyungsoo follows him with his eyes as Jongin moves to lean on the doorframe, waiting for the older to finish, “Besides, we are a gay celebrity couple in South Korea — we’re like steel. Or something else that’s strong, I’m not a chemist — a tour out of all things wouldn’t make us call it quits.”

Jongin rises his eyebrows at the answer. Kyungsoo is correct, as although they got less backlash than they expected, it still was largely performative activism, and they were like the exception to a rule to some people.

“These look better in person”, Kyungsoo steps into his personal circle, changing the topic while pulling the red hair strands so that Jongin can see them as well, though, he needs to cross his eyes to do so.

Jongin shakes his head, like a dog would, begging some more head scratches without words. He takes the opportunity to cross his arms around the small of Kyungsoo’s back, pulling the older closer.

“They faded a ton during the tour. You would’ve hated the color they were at the beginning.”

The silence is comforting, the fact that they’re finally face-to-face with each other again slowly filling their veins with calmness. Jongin could use hours on end just standing here, adorning the soft and handsome Kyungsoo in front of him.

Pixels and bad wifis do zero justice to the beauty his fiancé is. So many days has passed since he has last seen the moles decorating Kyungsoo’s neck and face, the full lashes, and sharp eyes up-close, the older studying his expressions fondly.

“Ahh… I missed you so, so much!” Jongin can’t resist the temptation anymore and pulls Kyungsoo by his hands along with him. They stumble some steps until Jongin can lean against the couch’s backrest to engulf the shorter in a massive hug.

He smothers the latter’s face and entire head in kisses after his cute little surprised ‘oomf’ against Jongin’s chest.

“Mmm… I did too.” Kyungsoo cuddles closer, squeezing Jongin’s waist hard as he hugs him like Jongin’s about to disappear. Jongin can feel the slightest tremble in the breath the other takes, choosing to run a calming hand on his back and pressing his head onto Kyungsoo’s.

The moment feels similar to the one when they first got to meet each other after The Circle. Kyungsoo rarely says what he’s feeling, but Jongin is more than glad that the grumpy man is like an open book in situations like these.

“You know… before you came, I remembered something you promised me a long time ago”, Jongin mumbles against the black hairdo, “Can you guess what is it?”

Kyungsoo pulls himself slightly away and thinks for a while, eyes roaming the living room behind Jongin.

“I promised to dance with you, didn’t I?” Kyungsoo tilts his head cutely to the side, giving Jongin the big doe-eyes he knows Jongin is weak for.

Jongin rises his eyebrows, surprised Kyungsoo can read him _that_ well. When the older doesn’t say anything but blinks innocently up to him, Jongin steals a quick kiss from his lips and maybe a couple more as he gets addicted to the feeling.

Kyungsoo sighs languidly against his lips, shoulders slumping and all the tension leaving his body as their hearts beat against each other.

“How did you guess?” Jongin asks after the pitter-patter caused by their litter of puppies hurrying past their feet, Monggu upset as Meokmul took the best toy.

“You have the episode still open on the tv, Ni”, Kyungsoo huffs, soft breath warming Jongin’s neck where Kyungsoo has squished his cheek, again.

He has to check behind his shoulder, although he knows Kyungsoo is right. Jongin paused the episode right after their conversation, as Kyungsoo came, leaving Sehyoon and Jungkook’s faces on the screen as their chat follows theirs.

It is weird to think back to the times he didn’t automatically connect the buff boy with the small and graceful image he built around Miyeon, as it seems so natural nowadays. The two of them haven’t talked in a while but Jongin knows he and Kyungsoo keep each other updated regularly.

With Sehyoon though, he’s the closest to them as a couple out of everyone. Because of Jongin’s tour and the absurd time differences, their communication has been on the short end lately, but Sehyoon has already invited the two of them to his gallery’s opening as special guests.

“Ah… That makes sense”, he chuckles, breaking from his reverie before he tightens his grip on the smaller, “What do you say then? Should I give you a lesson?”

Kyungsoo shivers with the implication and shies away as Jongin blows into his ear. Kyungsoo’s eyes clearly convey the debate he’s having, torn between indulging in Jongin’s words and basic decency.

Jongin relishes in the way Kyungsoo slides his hands on his skin, arms wrapping slowly around his neck. He can’t help but to tilt his head against the warm palms that momentarily cup his jaw.

He sees an opportunity to influence Kyungsoo’s decision and grips the older’s waist, moving them to the imaginary rhythm in his head.

“We could do something simple”, Jongin whispers all the while he makes Kyungsoo take some steps back, leading them away from the couch as he directs the hips before him to sway from side to side, “Let the music control us, move our bodies to the beat, immersing ourselves to the feeling. That’s enough.”

Kyungsoo only hums, slowly starting to sway his body on his own. His eyes are keenly focused on Jongin’s, fingers tracing patterns onto the back of his head. The tension accumulates and without notice, their lips meet — the longing of these past months getting a hold of them and Jongin’s subtle teasing winning in the end.

Kyungsoo sighs loudly when Jongin suddenly changes their dancing to something more of a risqué genre, lips entangling at a greedier pace. Their hands can’t get enough, mapping their bodies as if they could’ve forgotten.

Jongin licks the saliva off Kyungsoo’s lips, hands suddenly grabbing his thighs and hoisting the older up with near to no effort. If not anything else, his tour has proven to be useful in the sense that his physical strength has grown.

“I was trying to be considerate and go with a slow dance, but if you insist on going rougher…”Jongin murmurs as he strides forward, Kyungsoo holding on for dear life. He smirks at Kyungsoo’s breathless expression when the older finally realizes he’s stuck between Jongin and the wall, on the receiving end of a very inappropriate body roll “…I can’t resist, can I?”

“Whoa… slow down, Ni”, Kyungsoo rests his palms on Jongin’s chest, keeping him away — suddenly back to his rational self, “The cameras.”

Jongin almost drops Kyungsoo when the realization hits him, too.

He nearly forgot the cameras around them, installed into his apartment for a while to shoot a new show Baekhyun, Kyungsoo’s new bestie — although the men themselves deny it — basically dragged them into, so that _Jongdae_ could get his promotion.

Jongin sighs, defeated.

“Say no more.” Kyungsoo mimics him and curses Baekhyun under his breath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello - it's been a while, isn't it?  
> WARNING: I'm sorry, the rest of the notes are my literal thoughts without any filter = very confusing  
> I somehow feel like this isn't worthy of being the goodbye, the last glimpse we'll see of Kyungsoo and Jongin from this universe... I have struggled a lot while trying to write this, as my deadlines have stretched way past of their original form and still the result is half-assed  
> Maybe I don't want subconsciously let go of my first loooong fic, my baby, or maybe I have already let go of it some time ago. I don't know. I hope I still managed to capture some of their personalities and the vibe of the world  
> I haven't been overly emotional as I wrote this chapter, but now that I'm writing this note, I can literally feel tears welling up in my eyes, making it harder to write. I don't think I'm sad or anything as it's clearly a time for me to let go of the characters and the story itself - it's a weirdly hallow feeling  
> At one point, I lost my want to write, and then I found it (or shall I say someone reminded me why I want to write) and then I went trough an internal crisis over the fact that some of my frequently used words and phrases are not for me to use - but of course I hadn't know that before as English isn't my first nor second language - affecting the way I view by works, leaving me with mixed feelings as I want to write but it feels as if I have to learn it all again when that's not the case at all!  
> NOW, I want to focus on new stuff, get myself to work on new plots, characterizations and worlds, (and that damn epilogue that's 2 years overdue), while I try to find myself and my writing again, not forgetting the joy it causes me!  
> I want to thank everyone who read The Fake Reality from start to finish (and those who read my rambling notes, like this one) from the bottom of my heart! I could never have finished this on my own and I truly, TRULY, appreciate every comment, kudos, subscription and bookmark I get! I love you all lots, and I hope you'll check out my other works if you haven't already!  
> I'm @SShine_Hope in twitter if you're interested...  
> Thank you, stay safe and I love you!<3  
> -SwordOfQueen


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